The Zula Patrol: Dreamscape Crusade
by iheartgod175
Summary: The Zula Patrol have been able to solve just about every problem they encounter. But when a tragic incident brings a race of sealed aliens called the Dreamscapers out of their slumber, everything spirals out of control. With Zula in a state of chaos, the grieving team must face this new threat, one that will dredge up dark secrets and bring old grudges to the forefront.
1. The Unfortunate Discovery

_Our tale begins in the distant past._

_Centuries ago, there had been an ancient civilization that had once been seen through countless galaxies, known as the Dreamscapers. Made up of several races of powerful aliens, they were known by their most common characteristic: an obsession with changing the world. They believed that they could take any world they found and recreate it should they be unsatisfied with it. Their means of doing this is what they call a 'dreamscape': an alternate world that they created from their own thoughts, and later planned to make it a reality. Their method of doing so was going around to many planets in the galaxies, and launching 'crusades' in order to rally aliens' support.  
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_Some Dreamscapers were benign in their crusades, wishing to live amongst the aliens they conquered in peace. Some of them, however, were notoriously evil, and were intent on making many races into their slaves, driving them into despair and humiliation. _

_As one expected, this became a problem, as many planets refused to let these people transform their world. The Dreamscapers did not take no for an answer, and wars began ravaging the solar system as the Dreamscapers and countless alien races fought each other. Many died, but the Dreamscapers got the worst of it. By the time a century had passed, the once thriving Dreamscapers were all but extinct. Those who survived were deemed to be too dangerous, and were forced into exile. Other bands were either executed or sealed by very powerful clans with otherworldy powers deep inside the bases of mountains. _

_Evidence of their existence still remains on the planets they had conquered. Most of the Dreamscapers had underground cities buried in mountains, hills and sometimes volcanoes. They're so well hidden, most people can spend a lifetime searching and they can never find anything._

_Sometimes, though, that may be for the better, for the Dreamscapers were known to hide many things, including advanced technology, tools and science that could have improved alien life two centuries earlier._

_Technology, however, pales in comparison to their plans. _

_A few years ago, a team of Zulean archaeologists pulled out an ancient database that stated about a coming 'crusade' of sorts in the modern times. This crusade, according to these archaeologists, would be one of revenge, aimed at the few races whose clans dared to seal them away or kill them. The crusade was to be led by the most notorious Dreamscaper known to Zula: a fallen prince named Paragor. Both archaeologists and historians predicted this would happen during the year 2500. As the year came in, and four months went by, the public that had been following the story lost interest, and everybody quickly stopped believing it would happen._

_Such is the unbelief of the people. And as fate would have it, this turned out to be their biggest mistake._

_June 2500 was the month when the Dreamscapers awoke. The people, completely unprepared, were overwhelmed by the forces that awakened from their slumber, and were slaughtered. The only people available to stop the chaos was an intergalactic police force that had recently gone through tough times, and in the midst of their struggle, they had to stop this threat with their own hands. As they investigated the Dreamscapers, they learned that what they had been taught wasn't even half of the whole story. In order to learn the truth, they uncovered dark secrets about their home planet, secrets that could not only put Zula in danger of being destroyed, but the entire universe as well._

__This story that I am going to tell is unlike anything you have ever heard. It is a tale of danger, love, sacrifice, and heroes rising against impossible odds.__

_This is the story of the Zula Patrol, who are the heroes of this tale. This is the story of the galaxy's number one police force, and how they overcame the dreadful Dreamscape Crusade._

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><p>(Many attempt to make their dreams reality. Sometimes, though, what may be the greatest dream for one is a nightmare for everyone else.)<p>

Iheartgod175 presents:

_The Zula Patrol: Dreamscape Crusade_

Created: January 29, 2014

Published: January 30th, 2014

Rating: T (for violence, tragedy, dark themes, and romance)

Genre: Sci-fi/Adventure/Romance/Drama

Summary: During a trip to newly discovered ruins, Multo and his friend Professor Autofocus make a startling discovery: one that soon causes tragedy for the Zula Patrol. Before the team can overcome their grief, a new threat called the Dreamscapers, led by the mysterious Paragor, appears on Zula the day after Multo's funeral. His plan: to lay waste to Zula to make way for an alternate world, known as a 'Dreamscape', to come to pass. As the team is called to investigate the problem, they soon discover that what they've been told about the Dreamscape isn't even half of the whole story. In order to get to the bottom of the situation, they will have to dredge up dark secrets that should have remained hidden, as well as go through various trials that will test their resolve. Light sci-fi, mainly concerning with alternate universes and technology, and contains Bula/OC and Multo/Zeeter.

Author's Note: For those of you expecting the Thingamabob story, I'm still working on that; however, a sudden brainstorm lead to me coming up with a new story idea. I kind of got back into Zula Patrol, and while reading a few Nanoha fanfics (I highly suggest reading Lyrical Nanoha: Time Destruction, the main inspiration for this story. Even if you aren't a fan of girl-girl relationships, like me, it's an amazing time travel story.), I decided to do a time-travel story for it.

Well, I really shouldn't say a time travel story. It's really about creating another world with technology, but for the most part it's meant to be used for evil purposes. It's going to have light sci-fi and I'm going to have some fantasy elements as well. I'm going to try and update this story as frequently as possible; that way, I don't leave this story in the rust. It's also going to be very, _**VERY **_long, possibly my longest story ever. This is also the first ever Zula Patrol fic, so please review!

I must thank my Lord and Savior for giving me the inspiration for this story; with you, I know nothing is impossible. I also thank FlutterChaos, F91 and Moczo for the inspiration and great reads that inspired this story. Now that I have those taken care of, it's time to get to the meat of the matter: the story!

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the little known but endearing science cartoon that is _The Zula Patrol_; that includes characters and locations. They all belong to Deb Manchester. All I own are the original characters. There will also be some anime references, so of course I don't own those, either. I'm just making this for your enjoyment.

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><p><strong><span><em>Part I: The Crusade Begins<em>**

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><p><span>Chapter 1: The Unfortunate Discovery<span>

All was quiet inside the the base of Mount Zula, as nothing had disturbed the mountain in thousands of years. The only sound that could be heard was water dripping from the stalagmites hanging from the ceiling, and very few creatures scuttled about the cave floor, searching for meals.

All in all, it was peaceful.

But tonight, something stirred.

Voices began wafting from a large, egg-shaped capsule decorated with a large orange and blue phoenix on the center, its wings spread out in a glorious display. Two voices, one robotic and feminine, the other deep and masculine, wafted from the capsule, talked in hushed tones.

_"When, Master? When will we carry out the final crusade fulfilled as foretold in the prophecies?"_

**"Patience, my dear Ignis. The Legion will set out as soon as the seal is opened."**

_"And all we have to do is sit back and wait for someone to open it?"_

**"Not just anyone. It has to be someone who carries the crest of the House in their family. Although I doubt that anyone from that abominable place is still alive, it does not hurt to have a little faith, right? They are the ones who sealed us inside this forsaken chamber, preventing us from fulfilling our purpose. But fear not. It will not be long before they all feel my wrath."**

_"I suppose you are right, Master. But I cannot sit here and wait for much longer. I long for the days of combat again."_

**"As do I, child. But be still, if only for a moment longer. Our patience shall pay off soon enough."**

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><p>Multo wiped sweat off of his brow, and shielded his eyes as he looked up at the sky. One of his three eyestalks closed to avoid direct contact with the sun. The sun was high in the sky, signaling that it was still early afternoon-and it was getting sticky. Since it was summertime and it was in the middle of June, he and his good friend Professor Autofocus had decided to start their trip especially early today. Currently, he and the professor were sitting outside, taking a break.<p>

"Whew! It's so hot, I'm almost roasting!" Multo breathed.

His good friend Professor Autofocus, who'd dragged him out in the first place, chuckled at Multo's comment before taking a drink. "I agree; then again, June is my only vacation month, Multo," he explained. "I'll be buried in paperwork all of July and August."

"Well, at least you don't have to deal with this heat!" Multo replied, leaning back against the rock wall.

A month ago, Autofocus had called to tell him that he and a team of archaeologists had been busy doing some excavations in the mountains. Multo was surprised when he heard that the astronomer had discovered some sort of ancient ruin almost fifty feet inside the mountain. He said that it had taken them over a month to get the paperwork done, but they were now ready to start excavating the ruins. Autofocus asked Multo to come along with him, as they had done some archaeology work years ago, but stopped after Multo joined the Zula Patrol. As he hadn't been on an excavation trip in years, Multo happily agreed.

Thankfully, today was also the Zula Patrol's day off, so Multo didn't have to worry about cutting the expedition short. The rest of the Patrollers were at the beach, so that left the scientists free to explore the ruins on their own.

It had been a little over four hours, however, and they hadn't found much of anything, as they'd gotten lost in one of the ruins' large catacombs. One entrance almost led to Multo losing his arm, as the pit was filled with lakes of acid and he'd almost fallen into it.

After that near-death experience, the two scientists decided to take a break. Multo took a long drink from his water bottle.

"Ugh…that was most unsettling," he said after downing most of his water.

"You said it, Multo," Autofocus replied. "I don't think we'll be taking that way again." He then sighed. "Sorry I got your hopes up, old friend. I know you haven't been on an expedition in years…"

"Oh, no need to worry!" Multo said. His tone was cheerful. "It's been fun so far. I'm pretty sure if we keep looking, we might be able to find something in there. There's no point in giving up."

"But-"

"You most certainly didn't give up when you tried to excavate these ruins. Even after they told you no, you fought to the tooth and nail to get that paperwork signed. I believe it'd be a waste of time to your team and yourself, Autofocus, if you decide to quit because of the danger. We should keep going, and find out more about those ruins!"

Autofocus started to say something, but before a sound escaped his lips, the ground started shaking, nearly throwing them both to the ground.

"I-Is this an earthquake?" Autofocus pondered.

A loud crash sounded from above, and both scientists looked up to see several large boulders cascade down the mountain and head directly in their direction. Their faces melted into horrified expressions.

"Oh my stars! W-Where should we go?!" Multo cried.

"Quick, into the cave!" Autofocus shouted. Without another word, the two scientists rushed into the caves, barely dodging the enormous rocks that fell from the mountaintop.

The moment they got in, a cascade of boulders crashed into the mouth of the cave, blocking the entrance. In a matter of seconds, the world went black.

"Galloping Galaxies! We're stuck inside the cave!" he shouted.

"Now what are we going to do?" Autofocus was angry. "We can't call anybody within the tunnel!"

"I'm not sure…" Multo replied, and scratched his chin in thought. "I suppose the only way out is forward."

"Meaning, we have to go through the cave to get out?"

"Yes."

"Alright. But I hope we don't run into any more acid pools." Autofocus shivered.

Pulling out their pocket flashlights, the two navigated their way through the cave, carefully treading through steep inclines and rocky paths. Water dripped from the stalactites and musty, cold air surrounded them.

A few moments later, they reached something that told them they had hit the jackpot. In front of them were various signs that these ruins had been part of an underground city. A building made of bricks and mortar sat in front, surrounded by pillars and columns. There were ancient Zulean encryptions on the pillars, although time had rendered them illegible. The door of the building had a crest of a flying phoenix, surrounded by swirls of orange blue flames. Its wings were the same color, and it looked utterly majestic in flight.

Autofocus jumped for joy, and Multo broke out into a wide grin. It seemed as though their luck had turned.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go and see what's inside!" Autofocus said. The two rushed over to the door, making sure to avoid anything that would possibly activate a booby trap.

When they reached the door, neither professor could contain their excitement. What could be beyond the door? How would they open it? Would the Zulean Institute take what was inside?

"Do you think there's a key to open the door?" Autofocus asked.

"I'm not sure, but most buildings like this had to have had a special key," Multo said, running his hand over the door. "For some reason, this design seems vaguely familiar to me…"

"Really?" Autofocus asked, surprised.

"Mmhmm. In fact, I think I remember hearing something about a phoenix years ago," Multo replied, his eyes slightly narrowed. He didn't know why, but he felt drawn to this design, as if it beckoned him to touch it.

His hand ran over the crest, and it started glowing. The professors stepped back as the phoenix glowed intensely, forcing them to close their eyes. There was a shuffling of rocks and the door in front of them began to slide open very slowly. To their surprise, a bright white light poured through the cracks. Cold air quickly washed over the pair like water.

"Oh my…" Multo gasped as he and Professor Autofocus gazed inside. An egg-shaped capsule about the size of an average Earthling sat in front of them, decorated intricately with the patterns of the ancient Zuleans. Hoping that their luck would follow up twice, they cautiously walked into the room, hoping to get a closer look at it.

And then, the object in front of them hissed open, and the room went from blinding white to an almost blood red. The professors' faces changed from expectant glee to unbridled horror as they got a full view of the being in the room.

A massive swirling red cloud shot through with streaks of black hovered in front of them. Two ominous, glowing orbs of yellow light burned into the professors' very beings. A deep rumble that resembled laughter hit the room.

"Wha…what on Zula?!" Autofocus screamed, scrambling away from the cave. Multo remained rooted to the spot, his mouth agape.

**"It appears that today is a most happy day for me. I am afraid I cannot say the same for you two." **

Autofocus screamed again, and Multo's eyes widened with fear. His body screamed at him to run, but it was as if his legs were superglued to the floor. His open mouth trembled, as if to speak, but no sound came out of it. He had the feeling that he had just done something horrible, and he wouldn't be able to change it.

_C-Could this be...the end? _he thought. _I never wanted to go out like this! _His friends' faces flashed through his mind, going through until they landed on the one person who was dearest to him...

"Zeeter..." he breathed aloud, not caring if the cloud heard it.

The cloud in front of him said, **"It is custom of people to think of their loved ones before they are sent to the Dreamscape. But do not worry. They shall soon join you."**

Multo awoke from his daze and stared at the cloud, the horror evident on his face. "W-Who o-or what are you?"

**"That is none of your concern. What should concern you is that you, a member of the House, have released me from the seal that bound me. Now that it is broken, I shall be free to roam this new world and prepare it for the new reality I have set for it; the dreamscape that I have planned will become real," **the cloud said. **"And then, I shall have my revenge."**

"A...dreamscape?" Multo was baffled. He'd never heard of anything like it.

**"Yes, alien. You will not see it until the very end, when your world is under my control. But I have another use for you."  
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The cloud laughed, a sound that made every hair on Autofocus' body stand on end. The more the cloud talked, the more scared he became.

"Autofocus, RUN!" Multo yelled, his eyes wild as he turned to the astronomer. "Go and warn the others! HURRY!"

Autofocus took off running, but just then the walls of the cave began shaking. Savage chains with drills on the end started shooting out of the walls, and the professor barely missed them as he ran. The light in the room began pouring out in waves, flooding the cave with red. Multo finally started to back out of room, hyperventilating. Every part of his body quaked with fear.

**"YOU SHALL NOT ****_ESCAPE!_****" **The volume of the cloud's scream could have caused the cave to collapse on itself.

Multo controlled his panicked breathing long enough to yell a warning."Run, Autofocus! RU-AAAAAAAAAHHH!"

The professor was violently cut off when the cloud stretched out, and waves of red and black light began to surround him. The power that washed over him made him stop screaming for a moment as it seeped into his body, making him feel like he had been dipped into a tub of freezing water. The ominous cloud in front of him laughed, a harsh coughing sound that made every hair on his body stand on end.

**"No one escapes from my grasp, pitiful alien. You will come with me whether you like it or not. And soon, you will come to the same conclusion that I have: that the world in front of you is imperfect, and it must be destroyed. It must be destroyed to make way for the new world that I will make in my image. But before this, your planet will feel my wrath."**

"You'll never get away with this!" he cried, struggling to move out of the clouds that surrounded him. "I'll never let you take over Zula!"

**"Oh, I already have. Say goodbye to your world, Zulean, for it is the last time you will see it."**

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

Professor Autofocus had just reached the blocked tunnel entrance when he heard Multo's scream. He turned to see the other professor being forcibly pulled into the door as the voice continued laughing. Multo saw the professor and frantically struggled against the light binding him.

"AUTOFOCUS! HEEELLLPP!" he screamed.

"MULTO!" Autofocus yelled.

**"Oh, I almost forgot." **The Voice seemed to be somewhat annoyed. **"I do have to get rid of you as well, before you can start talking about my plans."**

"LET HIM GO!" Autofocus yelled. He barely took off for his friend when the cave started shaking uncontrollably, and the force sent him clinging to the wall. The room went from blood red to an almost blinding white once more, but this time, it came with overbearing heat and the crashes of thunder. He got down on the ground and covered his head with his hands as blue and red streaks of lightning flashed everywhere. The last things he heard were Multo's desperate scream, and the Voice's command, as though he were unleashing an attack.

**"Thunder Rage!"**

The violent explosion that followed could have been seen for miles.

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><p><em>"Now we're merrily on our way…climbing up an inclined plane…"<em>

"Geez, Bula, you're still singing that song!"

Bula turned towards Zeeter with a small smile. "Hey, it's not my fault that we came up with a really catchy tune for remembering inclined planes."

Zeeter shrugged. "You've got me there," she said. "It really helped us learn about that so much easier."

"All thanks to Multo's really great teaching," Wizzy interjected, pausing to shove volleyball at her younger brother, Wigg. Beside them, the Patrol's pet, Gorga, kept score.

"Come to think of it, I wonder how he's doing on the excavation," Bula said. "I didn't know that he used to be an archaeologist."

"I can't wait to hear what kind of stuff he'll bring back from the ruins!" Wigg said. In his excitement, however, the ball sailed past him and crashed into the sand. Gorga raised a hand to Wizzy's side, signaling that she had scored a point. Wigg sighed, "Aww…"

The team laughed, and then Bula decided to call Multo to see when he would meet them at the other side of the mountain. To his surprise, the professor didn't answer after the first ring. The answering machine picked up right away.

"Huh, that's funny. Multo usually answers right off the bat," he noted.

"He could be in the middle of pulling out thousand year old artifacts from the ruins," Zeeter suggested. "When he's busy, he never calls anybody."

"True…although it's been over two hours since we've heard a call from him…"

"Bula, Multo will be perfectly alright," Zeeter said. "Like I said, he's probably busy. Sometimes, it would take me a long time to reach him when he's in work mode."

Bula still looked unsure, but he let out a reluctant sigh. "I guess you're right, Zeeter. It's just…normally if we're all not in contact with each other I get worried because something might've happened to one of us."

"Well, if you're still that worried, maybe we can head home and make sure that they get home safely," Wigg suggested. "I think we've had enough fun at the beach for one day."

"Nah, you're just tired of losing too many times," Wizzy teased.

"Don't remind me," Wigg groaned.

"I like that idea," Bula said, grabbing his towel. "It's certainly a lot better than trying to wait for him to call."

All of a sudden, there was a small rumble that sounded in the distance. About everyone on the beach turned to see part of Mount Zula explode outwards, rocks and smoke rolling down the hills like a tidal wave. Bula stared at the sight, a horrible feeling in his stomach.

"Bula? Are you okay?" Zeeter asked, looking very concerned.

"U-Uh, yeah," he lied, fighting down the bile that was rising in his throat. "I'm fine. Just shocked by that explosion, that's all."

"Whoa, they must've found something really big if they had blow up the base of the mountain with dynamite," Wigg noted.

"Multo never said anything about bringing dynamite," Wizzy said.

"They could have brought it. After all, he used to be an archaeologist," Wigg answered. "They sometimes have to blow up parts of rocks to get to fossils and stuff."

Wizzy sighed. She hated it when her brother brought up a good point. "Alright, I guess you do have a point," she replied.

"I just hope that's the case," Bula murmured.

Zeeter rolled her eyes. "Worrywart," she grumbled under her breath.

With that, the team picked up their towels and beach equipment, ready to head back to the base and wait for their friends.

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><p>Professor Autofocus awoke to the smell of fire.<p>

It surrounded him, threatening to swallow him whole and consume him. He looked right and left, and saw an opening right behind him leading towards the forest. Leaping to his feet, he took off running, the roar of flames increasing behind him as he reached the forest. Another explosive burst occurred, and Autofocus turned to see a massive wave of fire consume the area he'd been standing at earlier.

Now that he was away from the flames, it then occurred to him that he'd been protected by several rocks that had covered him from the attack. The force of the blast had managed to blow out the wall of rocks that had blocked the entrance. With an explosion that huge, he was amazed he had survived it. The only thing reminding him of his ordeal were his singed clothes and dirty skin. Behind him, a wave of rocks and ash covered the ground.

Amazement quickly gave way to fear, however, as memories of what had happened before the explosion came in a rush.

He remembered finding the city. He remembered Multo somehow opening the door by running his hands over it.

He remembered the sinister voice that poured out of that room, telling them their world was going to be destroyed.

He remembered Multo's horrible scream, the light that swept him through the door, the room going a blinding white and being filled with electricity. He remembered the voice calling out "Thunder Rage" right before the cave blew up.

And then he remembered that Multo was still inside that cave.

As he stared at the flames licking the outsides of the cave, he couldn't help but cry. His best friend was stuck inside, possibly dead or worse. And there was no way he could make it inside without getting himself killed.

In the distance, he heard sirens from emergency vehicles scream into existence. Somebody must have heard the explosion, saw the smoke, and called for help. But Autofocus felt as though they didn't make the call fast enough.

Time was of the essence. And he didn't have much of it left.

His vision swimming with tears, he pulled out his damaged cell phone and held it into the sky, desperate to get a signal. After a few frantic seconds, a small green bar appeared at the top part of his screen. He fastidiously started pressing buttons, and prayed that he'd be able to get to the Zula Patrol in time.

Unfortunately for him, they weren't back at the HQ yet, and all he got was the answering machine. Frustrated, he slammed the phone into the rocks. The back snapped open immediately, the battery popping out and falling to the ground.

Sirens caught his attention, and he turned to see three fire hovercars pull up to the scene, staying back a good ten feet from the roaring inferno. A few seconds later, an ambulance also came into view, and skidded to a stop alongside the trucks. Paramedics and firefighter leaped out, some running towards him, others towards the fire.

"Sir, are you alright?" many of the paramedics were asking.

"No! No, I'm not! You don't need to worry about me! The person you need to be worried about is my friend, Multo. He's a member of the Zula Patrol, and he's been trapped in the deepest part of the cave, where the fire started!" Autofocus yelled. "There was an explosion! He could be trapped in there!"

"Don't worry, sir. The firefighters are going to get to him soon enough," the medics said, infuriatingly calm.

"No! You get to him NOW!" Autofocus said. "Or I'll go in there myself!"

It took more than a few moments for the medics to calm the astronomer down. After they did, they hauled him into the ambulance to make sure that he was okay.

As they pulled him into the flying vehicle, Autofocus' mind ran on the incident that had just occurred in the cave, and whether or not Multo had survived it. The thought of losing his closest friend was the most awful thing that he could ever imagine.

All he could really do was wait and hope.

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><p>When Bula started pacing around the base nervously, Zeeter knew something was wrong. Very wrong.<p>

They had just gotten back from the beach three hours before, and there had still been no sign of either Multo or Professor Autofocus, who were supposed to be back by now. Zeeter had managed to convince Bula to wait a little while longer, but now that another hour had passed, she was starting to get just as worried. The kids floated around nervously, and Gorga promptly buried his head into the table, whimpering.

Just when Zeeter thought Bula was going to crack and order a search party, the doorbell rang. She barely got out of the seat before the captain ran towards the door, frantically pulling up a view screen to see who it was. The light green top was all he needed to see.

"Oh, thank goodness. Professor Autofocus is back," he said.

He answered the door to be greeted with a sight he hoped to never see again. The professor looked like he'd been front and center at a demolition site, and smelled like he'd nearly been barbecued. His clothes were singed and reeked of smoke, smudges of ash and some burns covered his skin, and his glasses were broken and looked ready to fall off his face.

The glasses, however, weren't the only things that were broken. The professor's eyes were red and puffy, and tear streaks adorned his face, which was twisted into a look of utter despair and sorrow. The question Bula had been about to ask died on his tongue.

He didn't even need to ask. Something terrible had happened.

It seemed like an eternity as the two Zuleans stared at each other in silence, and then Zeeter appeared. She took one look at Bula and then at the professor. Her eyes widened when she saw him.

"Professor Autofocus, what happened to you? You look like-"

"I know. I look like the pits," the professor said tiredly. "And I feel terrible as well."

"What in the world happened to you?" Bula asked, concerned. "More importantly, where's Multo?"

"Oh, this is all my fault, Bula! I never should have gone into that cave! I should have ran after Multo before he was pulled into that door, at least before the cave exploded! I-"

"Wait a minute! What do you mean, Multo was _taken_ by something?!" Zeeter shouted.

"The cave you were in _exploded?!_" Bula yelled, his eyes wide with horror.

The look of utter desperation on his face could have stopped traffic. "You see…a small earthquake happened while Multo and I were resting from the excavation, and we ran into the cave for safety as rocks started falling everywhere. When we got in there, we got blocked inside by the boulders. Multo suggested going deeper into the ruins to see if we could find a way out…and that's when we stumbled upon an underground city," he said. A small smile came on his face."Oh, it was beautiful. It had to be at least two thousand years old. There was a building we found, and somehow, Multo managed to open it. That…was when things started to go wrong."

The smile was gone from Autofocus' face.

"What happened?" Bula's tone brooked no argument. "Tell us what happened after that."

"We discovered a capsule inside, and before we barely got inside the room, the capsule opened. Everything went red. A terrifying red and black cloud told us that it was planning on bringing this...this 'Dreamscape' to life on our planet, and it was going to make it real. When Multo asked who it was, it told him that he had released it from the capsule! And then...he said he was going to make this Dreamscape of his a reality, but before he did that all of Zula was going to feel his w-w-wrath! He told Multo that he wouldn't see the Dreamscape, but he had another use for him."

"W-What happened after that?" Bula asked. He was shaking, terrified by what the professor was saying.

Autofocus wobbled to one side, and fell to his knees, his body shaking. When Bula and Zeeter got down on the ground, they saw that he was sobbing. Rivers of water poured from his eyes.

"Multo…h-he…he screamed for me to run, to get you and tell you what happened. I had just reached the cave exit, the one that had been blocked, and the voice told us that we wouldn't escape. He...he even shot _chains at me_. Multo...Multo just screamed, and told him that he wouldn't get away with what he'd done, but the voice didn't listen. Light…l-l-light wrapped around Multo's body, and…and…_pulled_ him into the door. Before I could do anything, the place swarmed with lightning bolts, and then...t-the cloud yelled, 'Thunder Rage', and the cave exploded. The force of the blast blew up the rocks, set everything on fire and s-sent a-ash down the hilll," Autofocus sobbed. "Someone…someone must have heard the explosion, because paramedics and firefighters were there. I told them to ignore me and get to Multo, but the fire…it was awful! I didn't want to wait so I...I ran here."

"What are you trying to say, Professor Autofocus?" Wizzy asked. She and Wigg had come outside to see what the commotion was all about. "Where's Multo?"

"Multo…M-Multo's…" One didn't need to be a rocket scientist to see that this was really tearing Autofocus up. "I'm so sorry, Wizzy, Wigg, everyone…the firefighters…they couldn't find him. They searched everywhere, but c-couldn't find his r-r-remains. H-He's gone."

One could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed this confession. Bula looked ready to explode, Zeeter was struck with shock, and Wizzy and Wigg's faces contorted into tearful expressions.

"T…this is a joke, isn't it?" Wigg asked shakily. "I really hope that you're just joking, Professor Autofocus. Multo's not dead…h-he'll be back in time for dinner and all...he actually p-promised that he'd bring something back for us for dinner-"

"I…I don't want to believe it either, Wigg my boy. But…I-I can't do anything about it! The entire place was an inferno when I got out of there! Everything is burned down! I couldn't do anything to help Multo!" Autofocus wailed, burying his face into the ground. "I-I-I'm a terrible, terrible friend…he's dead because of me! I let him die! Multo's dead!"

"No, Multo's not dead!" Bula was adamant. "You just said that this...this black and red cloud took him into the ruins!"

"I still think that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" Zeeter interjected. "What kind of a cloud talks to you and shoots lightning bolts?"

"I'm telling you, it's true! I-I saw it with my own eyes!" Autofocus protested.

"Even if you don't believe it," Wigg said, "he said that Multo was pulled into a door by the cloud. That's proof that he's still alive!"

"Wigg, the firefighters said that there was no sign of life in that place. They can't open the door. They...they couldn't even break it down! There was too much debris in the way!" Autofocus looked up at the team with a heartbroken expression. "It was awful...so...awful..." At last, the astronomer couldn't hold it in anymore, and began bawling his heart out.

The professor's words seemed to have at last sunk to the other patrollers. The kids were the first to burst into tears. Zeeter's face crumbled into a tearful expression before she broke down right then and there, collapsing into Bula's arms. Her captain held tight against him, holding back tears as the others cried. He had to be the strong one. He had to be there for comfort.

One could take a look at his face and tell that the news had shattered him. He couldn't believe it. He just couldn't believe it. The absent-minded, eccentric but kindhearted professor that he had known for years was suddenly not there anymore. It was unthinkable. Part of him expected Multo to just show up and tell everyone he was alright, like Wigg said. Part of him expected to wake up from this horrible nightmare.

But he knew that would never happen. Multo wasn't one to make everyone worry. If he were alright, he'd have found a way to call everyone as soon as possible. No-if he were alright, he'd be right here with Professor Autofocus and sharing their adventures. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, everything around him was very real. He could feel everyone's sadness, anger and grief surrounding him. On top of that, his own emotions were threatening to spill over; his anger at the cloud for taking his friend away from him, his shock at the tragic news, his guilt for having not acted on his instincts and investigate the cause, and his sadness at losing a dear friend.

The flood of emotions was too great to hold back. Bula drooped his head, held his best friend against him, and let the tears fall.

* * *

><p><em>(Four days later)<em>

The church was a sea of black. Bula felt rather out of place in his white suit, but he didn't let that bother him. He and the other Patrollers, as well as many other mourners, sat up front close to the altar. Bula held Zeeter close to him, rubbing her shoulders comfortingly as the young woman sobbed quietly. This had been the second time today that she'd cried, and it became apparent to Bula then that Multo's death had hit her harder than he'd thought. Although he couldn't really tell from their usual bicker and banter, it was obvious that they were close, even if Zeeter did deny it at times. Wizzy, Wigg and Gorga were next to her, also shedding tears for their lost friend and mentor.

On his right side were Iris Bloodshot, Professor Autofocus and Professor Precipito, all of whom had been close friends of Multo. On his left were several other professors that Multo had studied under during his time at the Zulean Institute of Science. Behind him were many, many others that Bula didn't even try to name. He guessed they were his classmates. They made up half of the mourners.

In the pew across from him, Multo's parents and brother stared at the casket before them through a wall of tears. Well, Multo's parents were anyway. His older brother, Alphonse, was too busy sending Bula a death glare.

The captain didn't need to ponder on why. During the planning of the funeral, Alphonse had blamed Bula for his little brother's death, saying that they should have gone with him on the expedition. Zeeter had gotten involved, and so had Wizzy and Wigg. A heated argument followed, with Autofocus having to break it up and Alphonse threatening to make Bula pay for what had happened.

Alphonse's threat, however, was as empty as the casket that sat in front of them. The firefighters hadn't even tried to recover Multo's body. The fire had incinerated everything, they said. No trace of life could be found in that cave, they said. The door he'd been pulled into was blocked by too much debris, they said. Autofocus must have imagined things, they said. We're so sorry for your loss, they said. He wouldn't want you to be sad, they said.

What they said offered no condolence to the Zula Patrol. A close friend of theirs had just _died_, his body forever lost, and now they wouldn't be able to see him again to pay their last respect.

The service went by really fast. By the time Bula was called to speak, he almost forgot about it. Originally, Autofocus had been offered that role, as he had been Multo's closest friend. However, the astronomer lost his composure the moment he started rehearsing for the speech. It was too much for him, so Bula ended up taking the role.

He cleared his throat as he reached the podium. "First, let me thank you all for coming. Just looking at all of you shows me just how much Multo meant to everybody. When I first met him, it was back at the Zula Academy, where he was already a professor and I was in his class. I never told anybody this, but I almost didn't become captain of the Zula Patrol, because I was failing almost everything," he started.

"But Multo…Multo saw something in me, and he worked with me day after day to pull that something out. He would continually tell me, 'I can see greatness in you, Bula. I know that you can do a lot better than you're doing right now. If you want to become the leader of the Zula Patrol, you need to do everything with an attitude of excellence. Never settle for less.' That helped me get through the Zula Academy, and before long I landed a position as the captain of the patrol. Later, Multo ended up joining, saying that he had a tendency to drift from interest to interest, and he said that he could lend his knowledge to the team, and he always wanted to help people in need. There were times where he inadvertently caused some of our missions, but every time we would have a total blast.

"His thirst for knowledge was invaluable to our missions, as many times we couldn't do without his Multopedia. His time here was...unexpectedly cut short, but he died doing something he loved. His legacy will live on. We must keep him alive in our hearts and remember the good times we spent with him, and most importantly, not let grief overcome us," Bula said. He looked directly at Multo's family as he said this. "That is what Multo would have wanted…from all of us."

* * *

><p>A few hours later, the Zula Patrol stood outside watched as the casket was lowered to the ground. None of this felt real. Not the sea of mourners around them, not Multo's family mourning over the casket, and certainly not the tombstone with Multo's name etched on it. Rain began to pour on them, as if representing their tears. Bula held Iris close, tears spilling from his eyes. It had taken all it had in him to not break down in the middle of the speech.<p>

He was just starting to think that they would make it through without anyone having a complete meltdown when Professor Precipito fell to the ground, letting out a sound filled with utter hopelessness. Her body shaking with utter grief, she wailed as restrained anger and sadness poured out of her.

With a quick turn of his head towards Zeeter, he let go of Iris and went over towards the sobbing professor. He kneeled next to her and pulled her into a hug. Almost immediately, she stopped wailing, although she couldn't stop trembling.

"Professor Precipito, if you need to cry, by all means cry," he said. "No one's going to judge you for it. I'll be right here if you need me."

"I…I'm sorry, Bula…I tried to be strong. I really did," she sobbed. "But…my Little Sprinkle...he's gone!"

"And you have every right to cry, as he was close to you as well. This is hard for all of us. You don't need to hold it all in," he said.

Precipito rested her head on his shoulders, and wept openly. The other Patrollers, Wizzy, Wigg and Gorga, leaned next to him, crying as well. It wasn't long before similar sobs started to filter through the air.

Bula closed his eyes, trying to stop the sobs starting to shake his frame. _Wherever you are, I hope you're in a better place now, Multo...__  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>The next day...<br>_

Bula sighed as he found himself sitting in a large board room. With him were Zeeter, Wizzy and Wigg, Professor Autofocus and a broad shouldered red alien who was Multo's attorney. Yesterday after the funeral, they had to settle the business of the distribution of Multo's remaining possessions. After all the chaos he'd gone through at the service, Bula didn't want to deal with anything relating to Multo, as he was afraid that he would break down into tears. It was only because of Professor Autofocus that he was here. The professor was more broken than him, but he had managed to convince Bula to come along, saying that he'd helped make the video and that Multo would've wanted him to hear what he had to see.

Bula looked up as the attorney pushed his glasses back into place and pulled out a remote, the lights dimming as the screen lowered from the ceiling.

"My client left his will in the form of a video," he said. "I shall play it for you now."

There a few seconds of feedback, and then three eyes peered into the camera, seemingly confused. A long orange finger tapped the screen, shaking the video slightly.

_"Are you sure this thing is on?"_

_"Yes, Multo. I have it set on record and everything," _Autofocus said off screen.

Bula choked on air as he heard the familiar accented voice and saw the friendly face on screen. Wizzy and Wigg quickly became downcast, and Zeeter pulled them both into hugs.

_"If you're watching this, that means that I'm, er uh, currently no longer among the living. Or something to that effect," _Multo said. His voice had taken on a very serious note. _"I truly hope my parents and brother haven't been making any death threats to anyone because of it."_

"Too late for that," Zeeter grumbled.

_"Multo, I only have a few more minutes before my camera shuts off!"_

_"Oh, right! Well, uh...let's get to the point, shall we?" _He cleared his throat. _"Firstly, the distribution of my assets. I have divided all of my money into thirds. The first half goes to my parents, Vuva, Multi and Alphonse. Please use it as you see fit."_

Bula sighed. Multo's immediate family didn't come to the meeting since they were still mourning. It was tough for them, having lost their younger son.

_"The second portion goes to the Zulean Institute of Science, and to the Zula Academy. I wish for every young mind to get a good education."_

Professor Autofocus bowed his head silently, his mouth working around nervously as tears formed in his eyes.

_"And finally, the last portion of my money is to go to my co-workers in the Zula Patrol, who are like a second family to me: Bula, Zeeter, Wizzy, Wigg and Gorga. It'll be up to you all to decide who will replace me on the team, of course, but don't be too hard on them, and certainly don't compare them to me. I'd sure whoever will replace me will do a wonderful job. I just want to make sure you all are taken care of, which is why I've divided the last bits for each of you. It's not much, but please divide it evenly among yourselves, and use it however you like."_

Bula could care less about the money. He just wanted his mentor and friend back. No replacement member could fill that gap.

_"And well...I don't have much else to say really...other than to not wallow in grief forever. So, goodbye, everyone, and take care!" _Multo smiled and waved at the camera, which unexpectedly blacked out before Autofocus could say anything.

The lights came on in the room, nearly blinding everyone as they had grown accustomed to the darkness. The attorney sighed.

"He really was a nice alien. Gave me some doughnuts the last time we spoke, too," he said.

Autofocus buried his face in his hands and cried. The attorney pulled out a box of tissues and handed the distraught astronomer some. He then looked at the patrollers and offered some tissues. "You look like you need it more than I do," he said, looking at Bula in particular.

It hadn't even occurred to Bula that he was crying until he felt wetness against his cheeks. His vision became blurry as even more tears began to fill his eyes. Shakily, he took the tissue from the attorney with a small "Thank you", and wiped his eyes. The rest of the team also pulled out tissues, with Zeeter and Gorga loudly blowing their noses.

"I'll give you all some time. These things are rough on anybody," the attorney said. "I'll go and fetch the checks for everyone."

With that, he got out of his seat, and after giving another forlorn look at the team, he walked out of the room.

Wizzy flew over to Bula, concerned. "A-Are you okay, Bula?"

"N-No...no, I'm not. But I'll be in a minute," Bula said. "I...I have to pull myself together."

"Bula, don't hold it all in," Zeeter started. "Trust me, it's not worth it."

"But I...I need to be everyone's strength right now," he replied. "I-If I don't-"

"We won't think any less of you, Bula," Wigg said. "Even leaders cry, don't they?"

When Wigg said that, something in Bula broke. A multitude of sobs escaped his throat and shook his frame. Tears flowed from his eyes like a burst dam, pouring down his face as he buried his face into Zeeter's shoulder. He could hear Wizzy, Wigg and Gorga all join him in his anguish, and even Zeeter cried, albeit silently.

She looked up to the ceiling, teary eyes in sorrowful pondering. _Multo, you would choose to die _now_ of all times..._

* * *

><p>Deep inside the cave that had contained the ruins, a rumbling took place. The door, blocked by countless boulders, started to shift. Rocks began to tumble from the pile as the shaking increased in tempo.<p>

Soon, a white light flooded beneath the rocks, and a burst of red and black clouds erupted on the scene. Rocks, debris and ancient headstones flew everywhere, alight with fire. The now blocked door had light pouring out of it like lava from a volcano.

The cloud poured out to form a pillar. In a matter of seconds, it collapsed in on itself to reveal the most peculiar creature the world had ever seen. Its head, colored like sand, resembled a vulture's, with bushy black eyebrows and piercing yellow eyes. A short, curved beak, colored black, gleamed in the limited light. Red robes lined with ancient Zulean designs swayed as it walked, and beneath the robes, there were large, sharp talons. He took one look at the destruction that surrounded him and chuckled darkly.

**"Very soon, my dream will be made a reality. But before that can happen,"** he mused, **"I must purge this world of everything that will be a hindrance to my plans. And then, I will carry out my revenge on the one who has sealed me away."**

He turned to the door. **"Legion, come forth. I want you to make yourselves known to the inhabitants of this world. They will soon come to know what fear is before they die. Besides..." **He paused before chuckling again. **"Everyone knows that revenge is a dish best served cold... with the blood of the innocent as a topping."**

A chorus of metal clangs came from inside the room. Then, a multitude of metal marionettes came out. While they had the same body types, their eyes glowed different shades of green, red and blue, and their body colors and hair were various colors. Each marionette had small, stubby legs, and long arms that nearly touched the ground. At the ends of their arms were long, razor sharp claws. Even though they were machines, he could tell that they were just as bloodthirsty as they had been long before they were sealed away.

_"At long last…I have finally been awakened. We can finally begin reaching our destiny!" _ The leader of the pack, a large, pink marionette with blue eyes and red hair, walked towards the Dreamscaper. _"Shall we go now, Master?"_

**"Yes, Ignis. You may," **he said. The machines behind him let out high-pitched shrieks in reply.

With a small smirk on his beak, he pointed towards the cave, and the Legion leapt into action, pouring out of the cave by the hundreds. Once they had left the premises, the creature turned back to the door, and stepped through it.

**"My time to fulfill my dreams has come. This world was brought here by fire, and it shall exit that way. And soon, my world shall be formed out of its ashes,"** he said.

The door soon slid shut, shrouding the cave once more in darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>(66/14): Changed a couple of things, mainly with the narrative. Also, here are the list of characters for the later half:**

**_Autofocus-Multo's old friend and Zula's most famous astronomer. In the cartoon, he speaks with a German accent. He appeared in the episode "Telescooped!" when he called on Multo to help him find his missing telescope._**

**_Iris Bloodshot-A pink alien with one eye. She's a regular associate of the team, and helps them out on some missions. She also has a habit of calling all the Patrollers 'darling', but she seems to have a bit of a thing for Bula, as she calls him that all the time._**

**_Professor Precipito-Another friend of Multo's, she lives out in the Zulean Mountains, and studies ice. She calls Multo 'little sprinkle' because he likes his donuts with little candy sprinkles. She speaks with a Scottish accent in the cartoon. She appeared in the episode "Ice Station Zula" (which isn't on the internet, dang it)._**


	2. The Sudden Assault

**Update (12/17/14): This chapter has two extra sections and more detail that was lacking in the first edition. Also, some Nightmare Fuel.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 2: The Sudden Assault<span>

Night slowly fell upon Zula, basking the planet in a midnight blue blanket decorated with stars. A few cirrus clouds decorated the sky, and a warm summer breeze filtered through the air, ruffling Professor Autofocus' clothes as he made his way down the streets of Zulapolis, his eyes dull and red with tears.

It had been over a week since Multo's funeral, and the astronomer had been completely overwhelmed with work. He had originally thrown himself into the job with the hopes that he would find comfort in it, but it was no use. He simply could not block out the images of Multo's capture. Even now, he could vividly remember the terror in his eyes as the red and black cloud told him that Zula was going to be destroyed, and his horrific scream as he was pulled inside the door. Remembering it gave Autofocus goosebumps despite the warm temperature outside.

He was almost to his apartment when a sound that resembled metal under a chainsaw hit the air, causing him to turn around. He watched, horrified, as a strange robot with long limbs was slicing open the doors to somebody's home. The doors gave way with a crash, and the robot made its way inside. Lights went on in the house as the residents were awoken by the intruder. The screams started less than a second later.

Autofocus stared in horror as green blood splattered the walls of the house. The machine was inside _murdering _innocent people, and here he was, standing like an idiot when he could be helping. If he stood there while a psychopathic robot was attacking people, he would never forgive himself.

_It would be as if I abandoned Multo again,_ he thought.

The windows opened, and a small, green-skinned Zulean was hurriedly backing out of it. Her purple eyes were the size of the dinner plates, and Autofocus could see that she was no older than ten years old, if the flowery nightgown and the Zula bear she was holding was of any indication.

The robot that had been cutting down the door from earlier came into view, and Autofocus could tell what it looked like now. He had at first thought that it was male, but a closer look at the upper chest told him otherwise. Her eyes were a bright green and its hair was blonde. The plating of her suit was red and crimson, like fire.

What alerted the astronomer, though, was her fingers. Rather than thick, metallic chunks, they were four blades about the width of his hand and looked sharper than razor blades. Moonlight winked on the blade, silver and deadly.

"P-please...don't hurt me..." she squeaked, her voice trembling with sobs.

_"I am afraid that is not possible. We have arrived to exact our revenge on your world,"_ the robot said. _"And we will kill all in this city, starting with the innocent and ending with our greatest enemy, the House of the Zulean Phoenix."_

_"NOOO!" _

The robot looked down to see Professor Autofocus running towards the window, where the girl was. Seeing as the professor intended to rescue the girl, the robot raised her claw to strike the girl across the chest.

"JUMP!" Autofocus screamed, but his warning came too late. The girl tumbled out the window, shreds of her gown falling to earth and her mouth open in a silent scream. The astronomer jumped to his left to catch the falling girl, and she crashed into him with such force that he was sent falling to the ground, hitting the concrete with a slam.

"Oh, gods! Are you okay?"

"Nnnngh..." Autofocus gingerly picked himself up, pausing only to take a look at the girl in his arms. She was breathing heavily, and green blood soaked through her gown to his lab coat. His eyes widened in horror. "Quick! Somebody needs to take this girl to Zulean General Hospital!"

"Don't worry!" The Zulean who'd asked if he was alright, a broad-shouldered red alien with black glasses and taller than two of him, lifted the girl from his arms. "I'll get there as fast as I can!"

A massive crash sounded, and everyone in the street turned to see the robot tumble out of the house, its claws smashing the mortar to pieces. Screams quickly erupted on the street and everyone ran for their lives, almost running Autofocus over in the process.

"EVERYBODY, SAVE YOURSELVES!" Autofocus screamed, and leapt up to join them...

...only for something cold, large and sharp to puncture him in the gut. His mouth dropped open in a silent scream of pain, and even more screams filled the air at this.

He looked down to see four metal objects painted with green blood sticking through his stomach, and then they were forcibly yanked out of his body before he could even comprehend the situation. The astronomer sank to his knees, numb with pain and his vision blurring. His breath came out in choked gasps. In front of him, the citizens of Zulapolis were being attacked by robots that looked just like the one who had just stabbed him. Blood was flying like nobody's business, and the screams that came from them were sounds he hoped to never hear again in his life.

Even worse, the small girl and the large red alien was among them.

It was the final blow. Autofocus teetered forwards and faceplanted into the ground, the screams numbing as everything around him went black.

* * *

><p>Dark Truder wasn't one for sentimentality, especially where the Zula Patrol was concerned. When he had heard of Multo's passing, his first reaction was to cheer. One less member of their pesky team was one less problem for him.<p>

Since the Zula Patrol was currently busy grieving for Multo, Truder figured he might as well take advantage of the moment and start planning for his takeover of Zula. He smirked as he thought up the various ways it would start. Should he announce it? Plan a sudden sneak attack? He wasn't sure. But with the way the Zula Patrol was now, he shouldn't have any problem attacking the planet. He'd long since figured out that Multo was the one who was supplying them with science facts that had constantly ruined his plans. Now that he knew their secret, he would do what was necessary to outmaneuver them.

So far, this week had been pretty good.

His toupee, Traxie, sat on his head, and sighed as she combed out her curls. Today, she had opted to go blonde, which contrasted heavily with Truder's darker color scheme.

"You know, Trudy, one of these days, someone's going to get the upper hand on you," she said, pausing only to yank out a troublesome lock.

Truder scoffed. "Are you crazy? Of course nobody's going to get the upper hand on me. The Zula Patrol have done that for far too long. It's my time to shine," he said. "Besides, who could possibly be better than me?"

"Oh, I can think of plenty of people. Deliria, for instance," Traxie started.

"For Zula's sake, don't mention that spoiled, arrogant tart again," Truder groaned, abruptly getting up and heading for the deck of his ship. Traxie had to pause in her combing to make sure she didn't fall off her superior's head.

"Watch your temper, Trudy. That might have been why you lost the Villain of the Year title again," Traxie said as he sat down.

"Keep it up, Traxie, and I just might consider giving you a haircut after all," he said. That got the toupee to shut up immediately, and Truder laughed.

"Wow, Trudy, you really are cruel. That's one of the things I like about you, you know?" she said, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"Of course. That's the one thing I like about me!" Truder said. "Now back to the plan. I think I might need some help to get the Zula Patrol out of the picture for good."

_"May I be of assistance in this matter?"_

The robotic, feminine voice that suddenly sprang into existence made Truder's skin crawl with gooseflesh and Traxie's hairs stand on end. They looked around feverishly, trying to figure out where it was coming from.

"Traxie, did you say something?" Truder asked.

"N-No, I didn't! Why would I?"

"Because the voice I heard was clearly female! You're the only female here!" Truder shouted back.

_"That is where you are wrong, Dark Truder."_

And then, a large robotic marionette materialized out of thin air, blue eyes glowing as it disengaged the cloaking device. Its plating was bright pink with some magenta colors, and it appeared to have a few decorations on its sides that resembled pink ribbons. Its face was very human like, with a pointed chin, small, firm lips and a small nose. Arms the length of its body were topped with a set of five metal fingers which looked sharper than steel. Short red hair framed her small face, and the rest was piled up into a large trapezoidal hat.

Truder and Traxie screamed at the sight, but the being seemed undeterred. In fact, a closer look at its expressionless face would reveal that it seemed mildly amused.

"W-W-Who or what are you?!" Truder yelled, shaking.

_"Do not be alarmed. I am Ignis, leader of an ages old robotic army called the Legion. Despite the differences in our species, you and I have more in common than you think,"_ the robot stated calmly, _"mainly dealing with the fact that we both want to get rid of our enemies."_

Truder could not stop shaking in the chair, so Traxie took up answering for him. "Well, since you so _graciously_ showed yourself in, I guess you might as well tell us just how we have something in common."

Ignis' voice carried the smallest hint of a smile. _"Gladly. But I will require something in return."_

Truder and Traxie looked at each other and then at Ignis. "Such as?" Truder asked.

_"What enemies will keep us from obtaining Zula?" _Ignis asked, her eyes boring into Truder's soul.

The villain smiled. He'd just found his way of getting rid of the Zula Patrol for good. "Well, let me see..."

* * *

><p><em>The red and orange light from the beautiful sunset wafted into Bula's eyes, forcing the captain to open them. The sun smiled back at him as the cool breeze wafted through his hair. As he slowly pulled himself to a standing position, he couldn't help but feel a bit...frazzled. He looked all around him, his face contorted into a look of confusion. Even though the scenery looked peaceful enough, he had the sneaking suspicion that something was horribly, horribly wrong.<em>

_And that he was going to find out why in just a moment._

_The captain nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, wide-eyed, to see the one person he needed to see. The next thing he knew, Bula had crushed Multo into a hug, restrained anger, relief and sadness pouring out all at once. The professor's smile, kind and reassuring, never left his face as he comforted his friend._

_After what felt like hours, Bula let go of Multo, sniffling. "Multo, you don't know how happy I am to see you. Everything's fallen apart since the day you've died."_

_"I know. And soon...everything will continue to fall apart."_

_Multo felt cold against Bula's skin. The captain let go of the professor to see what he was talking about...and immediately wished he hadn't. What he saw threatened to make his heart seize up in horror, and stole the scream that bubbled up in his throat._

_An abyss locked eyes with him. Where Multo's eyes should have been, they were nothing more than empty eye sockets with red and yellow pupils. The professor's skin was bone white, and Bula then noticed that his skin was fading away, revealing the skeleton underneath. A bony finger pointed at Bula, making the captain tremble in fear-_

_"You should not have sent the member of the House to awaken him," the skeleton spoke, its voice no longer sounding like Multo's deep accented voice. "The Dark One lives again, and all will be destroyed. The prophecies state as such."_

**_"Well put, Multo."_**

_The voice that boomed into existence came from behind Bula. The captain of the Zula Patrol turned around to see the strangest creature he had ever seen. It was a sand colored vulture who had glowing yellow eyes and black, bushy eyebrows. His purple robes flowed as he walked, and his beak curled into something that was not a smile as he looked at the Patroller._

**_"Do not be afraid, Captain. For soon, you, and everyone on Zula, will join your former mentor in death."  
><em>**

_A tremendous crack sounded through the air, and Bula looked to see the ground beginning to split open underneath him. Even from the smallest cracks, he could see magma rising to the surface...  
><em>

_And then, the ground suddenly gave way, sending him tumbling into a pit of orange and red magma. The skeletal form of his former mentor jumped down with him, a look of glee on his face. _

_"Don't worry, Bula. Everyone will be here to join us soon!" he said, his voice once again returning to the familiar accent Bula had known for years. That made it all the more terrifying as the corpse dragged Bula down into the largest of the pits. Despite the unbearable heat surrounding him, pure terror froze his veins and his skin erupted into gooseflesh.  
><em>

_There was nothing he could do. No way to fight back or defend himself. No way of calling for help. _

_The only thing he could do, however, was scream._

It was dark when Bula burst out of sleep, his breathing heavy and expression wild. His eyes quickly adjusted to the blackness that covered his room. Gripping the bedsheets, he dared himself to turn to see what time it was on his analog clock.

Nothing jumped at him or tried to drag him into the fiery pits. He groaned as he saw that it was four in the morning, once again signaling his recent lack of sleep. He had gone to bed about three hours earlier.

Lately, he'd been up, dreams of Multo dying haunting his sleep and keeping him awake for hours. The result was that he was practically a zombie when it came to working. After a while, he couldn't deal with the stress and decided to put in leave time, as did the other Patrollers.

And even then, he still woke up in the middle of the night, completely overcome with sadness and grief for his lost friend. He would cry until he had no more tears, and sometimes Wizzy and Wigg would join him. They were hit the hardest by Multo's death.

He made to get up and turn on his lamp, but pressure around his waist stopped him. He looked over to see that Zeeter had crawled into bed with him again, her arms firmly clasped around his waist. Her face was set into a small scowl, muttering something about getting Dark Truder. He gently rubbed her forehead as she buried her face into his chest.

The other reason that he'd signed for leave time was because Zeeter had started becoming incredibly listless during their daily duties. She may have stopped crying constantly (or at least, from what he could tell) but she would often stare off into space. The last time that happened, it had been while she was flying, which nearly got the team killed. One night, he had heard her cry out for the professor in her sleep, and after he got her to wake up from her nightmare, she cried as she realized that she wouldn't be able to see him again. Ever since then, she started coming into his room at night, holding him to the point where he thought he would suffocate.

Bula realized he had to take leave time after that. He couldn't leave Zeeter alone in that state. He'd already lost one friend; he didn't want to lose another. He could also tell that Zeeter didn't want the same thing either, which was why she had latched to him so fiercely after Multo's death.

He bit his lip as tears starting to form in his own eyes. Everywhere he looked in the base, he expected to see Multo, either in the kitchen or the labs, or at least think that he was out somewhere gathering data for one of his crazy experiments. Then the realization would creep in, and it would put him in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

His eyes started to slide closed, and he sighed. Tonight wasn't going to another one of those restless nights after all, which was a relief. Slowly, he started to lay back down-

_Scree, scree, scree...  
><em>

Bula jolted as he heard something metallic scratch against his door. He sat very still, listening intently. Lately, he'd been hearing a few noises here and there, and for a while Wizzy and Wigg had figured there was a ghost in the base. When the noises increased to the point of shrieking, he abruptly sat up, an action that caused Zeeter to stir.

"Mmnn…Bula, what's going-"

_SCHWING!_

Something sliced through the door, an action that caused it to separate into pieces of varying size and send it flying through the air. Bula and Zeeter jumped out of bed with a shriek, holding onto each other in fear as the remains of the door hit the walls with a massive crash. This action also awoke Gorga, who jumped up and growled at the intruder.

"W-What the heck was that?!" Zeeter screeched.

The being that strode into the room was not an alien. It appeared to be a large robotic marionette, excluding the fact that nobody was around to control its movements. It was taller than two of Bula, wore purple, and had a human face, which currently sported a small crop of yellow hair and glowing red eyes. Bula and Zeeter at first thought it was a man, but a closer look proved its female gender. Long limbs reached to the floor, and on the ends of its fingers were sharp talons. It stared at the three with an intense expression.

"A…walking and talking...doll?" Zeeter looked stunned.

_"I am not a doll. I am part of a robotic army known as the Legion. We have been released after an ages-long slumber within your planet. We have been reawakened for one purpose and one purpose only: to make our dream a reality. Soon, we shall attain that wish," _the robot said. Its voice was meant to be pleasing to the ears, but the nature in which it spoke was not.

"What kind of dream are you talking about?" Zeeter asked.

_"It is a dream where the world will be changed to fit _our _will and purpose, _our _intentions. We have conquered planets far and wide, as well as every alien race in the galaxy. Your kind shall soon follow them," _the doll explained monotonously. _"But first...this planet shall feel our master's wrath for the wrongs done against him. Everyone on this planet shall pay for the wrongs done to us. The prophecies have stated as such."_

"Well, you obviously read that prophecy wrong!" Zeeter jumped out of bed, clearly outraged. Bula followed a moment later. "Do you really think we'll let you just come in here and do whatever you want to our planet? You're out of your mind if you think that's happening!"

The doll's eyes narrowed as it sized her up, malice flashing in its eyes. _"Do you dare challenge my authority, Zulean? I have orders from my Master, Paragor, to kill anybody who stands in the way of our mission. That includes you. If I were in your position, I would step down immediately."_

Zeeter looked ready to jump, but Bula held an arm out, motioning for her to stay back. His eyes narrowed as he glared at the doll in front of him, who returned it with an equal amount of anger.

"There is no way I'm stepping down. You trespassed onto my property, and I'm not going to just let you walk all over me. If anything, _you're_ the one who needs to step down," he said, his tone authoritative.

Zeeter and Gorga stared at the captain in utter shock, but the doll seemed to accept the challenge from the captain. The elongated claws on its hands extended, the sharp blades gleaming in the moonlight. With a swing of its left hand, it got into a battle position, right hand drawn back and poised to strike. Bula stepped in front of Zeeter, his hands raised in a defensive stance.

_"You do not know who you are dealing with, Zulean. The Legion does not take 'no' for an answer. This is my last offer if you want to live. Accept my words, or die ignoring them."_

"Bula, what's going-"

Wizzy and Wigg stopped in the middle of the doorway, shocked at the battle scene about to erupt. Bula glared at the doll in front of him, his eyes black pools of restrained anger.

_"It seems that you have made your choice. You will soon regret having made it, I can assure you."_

With those words, the Legion robot lunged for the kill.

* * *

><p>"This is great!" Dark Truder laughed as he watched Bula get tackled through the window by one of Ignis' soldiers. His grin only grew as he watched Zeeter, Wizzy, Wigg and Gorga try to sort out what was going on."That goody-two-shoes captain needs to get what he deserves."<p>

_"What has he done to you, Dark Truder? To me, he seems harmless," _Ignis replied. _"He has no means of defending himself against Camellia."_

"Oh, _puh-lease_. People have said that about them for years, but they are no joke. You don't want to mess with them when they're on a mission. They can and will find ways to stop you," Traxie interjected. "We've been dealing with them for years, so we know the deal."

Ignis lifted a clawed finger to her chin. _"I see. So…this Zula Patrol…will they be a threat to my Master's plans?" _

"If they find out what he's planning, they will be," Truder said. "They _always_ find out what I'm planning."

"That's 'cause you don't think your plans through, Trudy," Traxie admonished.

Truder groaned, and he snapped another comment about making Traxie get a haircut. Ignis didn't listen long enough to pay attention to their argument, as she started sorting out the information they had given her.

She took another look at the footage on screen and frowned. If what Truder was saying was true, she and the rest of the army must act before the Zula Patrol could have a chance to react. She clenched her hand into a fist, creating an electrifying shriek of metal that startled the two villains out of their argument. Truder looked ready to leap out of the chair in fear.

"W-What was that for?" he asked.

Ignis turned towards the screen, her eyes trained on Bula. Without looking at the villain, she answered, _"I have come up with what we must do. I must leave to inform my Master at once." _She quickly turned and started to walk away, signaling that there were to be no more questions.

Truder, though, didn't quite get that signal. "Wait, what do I do?" he asked. "Did you come here just to get answers from me?"

_"Yes. You have been very useful so far, Dark Truder. The reason my Master sent me here is because he figured you might have information about potential enemies in our path. It is most important that we get rid of these enemies as soon as possible. Only then can we gain complete control over Zula."_

"Who said _you _were getting complete control over Zula? What about _my_ part in this ordeal?" Truder roared, getting out of his chair. His face was twisted into an angry scowl. "I'm not going to let you walk out on me!"

She answered with her back to him. "Our_ plans have been to have complete control over Zula…without anyone else. Allies are worthless in the eyes of my Master, Paragor. I never said once during my time here that you were going to take a part in this conquest. You are merely an informant, and unless you want to die a cruel, horrible death, I would recommend keeping silent."_

"As if I actually care about your petty little threats!" Truder huffed. "Besides, I refuse to keep silent about this until you give me wha-"

Ignis became a pink blur as she moved towards him, startling the villain. A split second later, a horrific sound resembling ripping paper hit the air as Ignis' claw met his side, sending him crashing halfway into the control deck. He slumped to the floor, and Traxie flew off his head and hit the ground with a scream. Ignis' clawed fingers were cloaked with green blood, which dripped onto the floor and traveled in a small river towards its source. Truder stared at his wound, the trail of blood on the floor, and then at Ignis. His eyes were wide with terror and pain.

_"Shall I…have to permanently silence you, Dark Truder? Or would you like for me to prove that my threat was indeed credible?" _Ignis' tone indicated she wouldn't hesitate on doing either option.

"A-Alright, ALRIGHT! I'll do whatever you say!" Truder pleaded, shaking and struggling to get away. "Urgh...j-just don't kill me!"

Ignis stared at him for a long time, and for a moment both Truder and Traxie feared that she might go ahead and kill them anyway. Then, with a wave, she flung the blood off her hand, splattering it on the wall, and retracted her claws making them more finger sized. Her blue eyes bored into his brown ones as he pulled himself up from the floor. He stumbled due to the wound, and he couldn't even take one step before he fell to the ground again. He stared up at her, shaking in fear.

_"See to it that Truder is properly repaired, Traxie. When I return, I hope you have more information about the Zula Patrol for me," _she said.

"A-A-And what if I don't?" he asked.

_"Then you will be of no further use to me or to my Master. For your sake, Dark Truder and Traxie, you had better come up with something of use to us."_

And soon she left the same way she came: disappearing into thin air. Truder pulled himself into his chair, dazed from what had just happened and his mind reeling from what she had just told him. Traxie noted the blood on the floor and rushed off as fast as she could to get the emergency kit.

As he slowly slipped into sleep, Truder couldn't help but think that things could only get worse from here on out…

* * *

><p>Bula sat up, his whole body on fire. Above, he could hear Zeeter barking orders to Wizzy and Wigg, telling them to call a hospital while she went to help him. He held a hand to his head, only to grimace at the pain. He pulled it away and saw glass embedded in it, which was painted with green blood.<p>

He immediately regretted daring the robot to fight him the moment she had tackled him out the window and into the front lawn. For starters, she was…well, a robot, meaning that she had way more endurance and agility than he did. The fall that he'd taken not too long ago could have killed him had he not managed to grab onto one of the scooters sitting out on the deck. It was probably a good thing Zeeter didn't put those things back like she was supposed to, or else he would've been flattened like a pancake.

On the other hand, though, he had fallen against the very edge of the scooter, giving him a very sharp blow to the head. As if that weren't enough, the glass from when he'd crashed through the window stuck into his body like needles. He stumbled away from his slowly advancing opponent, teetering on the very edge of where the base met the cliffs. The Legion robot in front of him inched closer, her claws outstretched for him.

And just then, she froze. A wide-eyed expression came over her optics as she froze in time. Bula at first thought she was out of power, but as quickly as it had appeared, she regained her normal emotionless persona. Her eyes gleamed with cold, malicious intent.

_"My commander has confirmed from an informant that you are indeed a hindrance to our plans. She has ordered me to eradicate you all. And since you have so foolishly threatened me, you shall be the first to die."_

Bula's eyes widened. This couldn't be happening. After all that they'd been through, he couldn't die. He just couldn't. Zeeter wouldn't do without him or Multo, the kids would more or less drop out of the force, and Gorga would be taken in by someone else. Bula was the glue that held them all together. If he left, the most well known branch of the Zula Patrol would fall apart at the seams.

He had to live…for the sake of everyone, he had to _live-_

Reality brutally returned when cold, sharp steel cut into his side, tearing through his clothes, sending blood flying everywhere, and hurling him backwards. The pain came a split second later, and he screamed in utter agony. He soon found himself tumbling halfway down the hill, his head colliding with dirt and rocks. He spilled onto the ground, the glass digging deeper into his back and head and causing every nerve of his body to go wild with pain. He cried out in agony as he forced himself to sit up. He heard metal clanging on the rocks, and looked up to see his opponent bounding down the hill. Even from here, he could see the murderous intent in its eyes.

_Is...is this the end for me? Is this what Multo felt when he was about to die? _Bula watched as the robot was about five feet away from him, a clawed arm drawn back, clearly intended on gutting him. His vision swimming, Bula decided to sit back and just wait for the inevitable-

_"Stay away from him!"_

The ground came alive with the sound of a whirring engine and a burst of wind blew him back down onto his back. This contact with the elements only hurt him even more. He had barely managed to push himself into a sitting position when he heard the crunch of metal on metal. A high-pitched, bone-chilling shriek hit the air, and something crashed into the face of the cliff. He lifted his head up to see what was going on.

Zeeter was currently using her scooter to ram the robot repeatedly into the side of the cliff, the doll shrieking with each hit. It reached up and tried to snatch her from the scooter, but the pilot shifted into reverse before it could.

When she had removed herself from the wall, Bula got a good look at how damaged the robot was. Her body was crushed beyond recognition, and her arms lay limp at her sides. He then saw Zeeter revving up the engine, her hands gripping the handlebars. The rage on her face was unmistakable, and it was clear that she was not going to stop until the robot was utterly destroyed.

And then, she shot off, literally becoming a yellow blur as she once again slammed into the robot full force, this time hitting it in the face. There was a horrific crunch, and a sound of hissing metal. Sparks then started to emerge from the area from where the robot was hit. Zeeter quickly noticed this and leapt off of the scooter.

The explosion that followed covered the entire area in a blur of white, blue and red. A scream hit the air that caused the hairs on Bula's arms to stand on end. In the midst of the cloud, he saw a form arise from the destroyed machine; a purple ghost-like form that rose into the sky. Soon, the noise died down, and smoke billowed from the mangled body of the machine as the light disappeared.

Bula stared at this in shock. It seemed as though there had been a ghost in the machine. The thought of having killed someone was enough to make him sick.

That wasn't the only thing that made him sick. The deep gash in his side was making him feel queasy and dizzy at the same time. His stomach lurched, head throbbed and his vision swam as the pain caught up with him. With a groan, he tumbled to the ground.

Footsteps pounded the soft grass, and someone picked him up and turned him over so that he could see who it was. Zeeter.

"Bula! BULA!" Zeeter shouted as she rushed over to her fallen friend's side. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she looked down at him. "Bula…please, don't die on me. Don't you _dare_ die on me!"

"I won't…" he breathed out. "Please, Zeeter. Just get…help..."

Zeeter's eyes widened in horror as her captain and friend's eyes slid closed, a groan escaping his throat.

"You hang in there, Bula, you hear me? Hang on!" she called. "Wizzy, Wigg, where's the ambulance?!"

There was a whirr as the two bug-like creatures arrived, with Gorga hot on their trail. "I-It should be here in a little while," Wizzy said. "Also, we've got reports coming in from all over Zula. Autofocus and some other Zuleans were just sent to the hospital because of a terrorist attack!"

"What?!"

"Yeah! They're robot terrorists that are just like the one that attacked Bula!" Wigg said. "They've already killed a whole bunch of citizens!"

"...we have to leave it to the higher branches of the force tonight, Wigg," Zeeter said.

"But, Zeeter-"

"No buts about it! Bula needs serious medical attention and our base is in shambles!" Zeeter snapped. "I can't take control of the leadership right now!"

Wizzy and Wigg looked at each other sadly. They were worried about everyone on Zula as well, but their captain and friend, who was more like a brother figure to them, could die like Multo had died.

When sirens screamed into existence and orange and red lights flashed over them, Wigg called, "OVER HERE!"

Four yellow six eyed aliens ran towards them, carrying stretchers. Their taciturn expressions melted as they saw Zeeter, who was crying over her unconscious friend, and Gorga, who was whimpering and trying to awake his master.

Wizzy and Wigg looked at the paramedics with tears in their eyes. "He was attacked by those robots! You have to help him before he dies!" they cried together.

* * *

><p>Deep inside his sacred room, Paragor viewed the scene unfolding in front of him. He was quite surprised when the smaller purple alien managed to kill one of his best warriors by simply ramming it with her vehicle. He scratched his beak thoughtfully, burying this thought into his mind.<p>

Ignis' informant, Dark Truder, had been right about the Zula Patrol so far. They were too inquisitive, and from what he could see, willing to attack any threat that came to them or their planet. He couldn't afford to let them live for much longer. The longer they lived, the longer they would have to prepare themselves for what was coming.

And Paragor did not want that to happen.

A chorus of metal clacks hit the air, signaling that the Legion had just returned from another daily hunt. Hopefully they had found something worthwhile like Ignis had. It would be even better if they had gotten rid of some of the Zuleans.

**"It appears that I will have to move quicker than expected. Another day going by with them alive means another day goes by without any progress. We must make haste, or my awakening shall be for nothing."**

Toning down the light in the room, he opened the door, and stepped out to greet his troops and give them their new orders.

**_Our OC villains aren't exactly on the nice side of things, and they've already threatened to kill the main characters. Next chapter will mostly deal with the Zula Patrol and how they'll deal with the matter. We'll also get to meet our new ally, and learn some more stuff on the Dreamscape itself. Like I said before, go on the official site for Zula Patrol and Wikipedia's page for it to learn about the characters Dark Truder and Traxie. Compared to the Legion and Paragor, Dark Truder is nothing but a sissy._**

**_Even though this chapter was short, I hope this chapter got you pumped for the next one. Please read and review!_**

**_God bless, iheartgod175_**


	3. The Platinum Blonde

**This chapter introduces my OC, Bonnie. She'll be playing a pretty big role in the story later on. I hope you've been reading my story so far (as I've just checked it to make sure that there aren't any errors. I've got to stop doing that...). But that's not the only thing that's happening in this chapter. **

**Note: This chapter has references to Puella Magi Madoka Magica, which I don't own. I suggest watching it; it's an amazing anime.**

**UPDATE (2/11/14): I went back and added more to the scene where Zeeter learns of what happened to Multo, and deleted one extra scene.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 3: The Platinum Blonde<span>

"The gashes he sustained are pretty brutal, but it's nothing we can't handle," the doctor said. "His vitals are picking up, and he's responded to some of our pain stimulus tests, so he should be up in an hour or two."

Zeeter looked ready to jump out of her seat and rush towards the hospital room where her best friend was currently in. "Can we go see him?"

"Not right now. We're still running a few tests on him, and making sure he's stabilized. He did go into shock on the ride to the ER," the doctor said.

"Alright. Please let me know when he wakes up," she replied.

"I will. Please, try not to worry," the doctor said. With a nod, he stiffly walked into the hospital room down the hall, where four other doctors hovered over the table. Zeeter knew exactly who was on that table.

_Bula._ Never in her life had she been so scared as when the Legion robot practically sliced him open. If it hadn't been for her bashing the robot against the base of the hill, Bula would be in pieces.

She was also partially angry with the doctors when they didn't believe her. They'd heard of robots, of course. Robot dolls with razor-sharp claws that could rip through flesh? No, those didn't exist. They also laughed when she told them when she said that the robot was planning to take over all of Zula.

Well, she probably shouldn't have mentioned that, knowing the backlash she'd get.

The plot about the Legion, the Dreamscape and even the doll's strange master were the least of her worries at the moment. All she really cared about was finding out if Bula was alright. Beside her, Wizzy, Wigg and Gorga fluttered nervously, their expressions mirroring Zeeter's.

"The doctor did say Bula would live, right?" Wigg asked.

Zeeter buried her head in her hands. "That's what he said. We're just waiting on him to wake up," she said. "I still can't believe it. Why would that robot target us? And what is it about this Dreamscape thing that's so important? Why did they say that we'd be a 'hindrance' to their plans?"

"I think I can answer that question."

Zeeter looked up, startled, to face the person who said that. Standing beside her was a tall female Zulean, her face contorted into a look of sympathy. She had platinum blonde hair curled into a wavy like style and wore a bright blue dress that came to above her knees, which were covered with thigh high boots.

"Uh, who are you?" Zeeter asked, then kicked herself for being so rude.

"I'm Bonnie, a volunteer at the hospital. I'm also training to one day work in the Zula Patrol," she said. Then, she blushed. "I'm a huge fan of you guys."

"Oh, uh, thanks," Zeeter said. "Sorry if I sound don't sound so energetic. Bula, the captain of the Zula Patrol, is currently in the ER because of an attack on our base."

"My gods. That sounds awful," she said. "Will he be alright?"

"Yeah. We're just waiting on him to wake up," Zeeter replied. "I can't imagine going on without him…"

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear about that. But don't worry! If what the doctor said is true, he'll come back," she said.

"Yeah, I guess…" Zeeter's eyes widened as she remembered what Bonnie had been talking about. "So, what do you know about the Dreamscape?"

"Oh, right! I did mention that, didn't I?" Bonnie made herself comfortable on the only empty bench available. "During my time at the Zula Academy, we studied many different races of aliens, and there was a race called the Dreamscapers. These people were obsessed with alternate worlds…or rather, _creating_ new ones.

"They hated the way the universe worked, according to legend, and every time they encountered a new world, they would attempt to change it to the way they believed it worked. However…it didn't exactly work out that way," Bonnie explained.

"What do you mean?" Zeeter asked, now taking an interest.

"They're not called the 'Dreamscapers' for nothing. They tended to dream often, as their number one habit was to sleep, and they would see images. Lots and lots of images. Later, they would take those images and put it together inside a very advanced machine, even for the times long past," Bonnie continued. "They called the images they weaved together a 'dreamscape'; the perfect world where everything worked the way they thought it would work. Notice how I said how _they _thought it would."

"I guess nobody agreed with them, huh?" Zeeter asked.

"No, and the reason was because the Dreamscapers' idea of a perfect world was to create sorrow and destruction everywhere, and make a tyranny in its place. Some of the Dreamscapers, from what I heard, were complete monsters in this area," Bonnie replied. "Others did have sympathy on the aliens they conquered, but they were often killed off for what had happened to them over the years."

"How did they take over those planets?" Zeeter asked.

"They did it with the help of a group of aliens called the Skiseks. They were a tribe of savage warriors, but they died easily. The Dreamscapers decided that they had to do one thing: take out their souls, and put them into mechanical bodies that would work just like them," she said.

Zeeter's eyes widened. "No wonder it looked like there was a ghost in the machine when I destroyed that robot! They…they took out their souls from their bodies! I…I just killed someone!"

"Zeeter, calm down a moment!" Bonnie admonished. "You didn't know about it at the time, right? And you did it to protect Bula, who could've been killed from that thing!"

"Even then…I actually killed somebody," Zeeter said.

Bonnie didn't know what else to say, but just then, the doors to the emergency room swung open and the doctor from before walked out. Sweat adorned his forehead, but he was beaming with pride.

"It took some time, but he's finally opened his eyes," he said. "You can go in and see him now."

* * *

><p>"Zeeter…thank goodness," Bula said tiredly. His body was still weak from the attack and the effects of the anesthesia he'd been given on his way to the hospital. Though haggard and pale, the smile on his face was proof that he was hanging in there.<p>

Zeeter grasped his hand as gently as she could. "I should be saying that to you, Bula. For a long moment, I thought you were going to die," she said, wiping a few tears that were trying to form in her eyes.

"It's alright, Zeeter. I'm glad to hear that you and the kids are alright," he replied. He then looked over to see a new face in the room. "Who's this?"

"Oh, this is Bonnie. I met her while we were waiting to hear about your condition," Zeeter said. "She's a huge fan of us, apparently."

"Eheheh," Bonnie laughed nervously, scratching her cheek. "I was also training to be a member of the force one day."

"If you ever get the position, let me know," Bula joked, and a ripple of much needed laughter hit the room. It felt good to laugh again after all that had happened.

"Oh, Bonnie also told me that she knows some things about the Dreamscape and what that robot was talking about," Zeeter replied.

"I overheard her talking about it, and I offered to help with it," Bonnie said. "We studied the Dreamscapers and their plans back at the academy."

The smile fell from Bula's face, replaced with a hardened look. "I don't want to talk about it," he said.

"Bula, we have to. It's the only way we can figure out why those robots attacked you. Plus, it gives a greater clue to their motives," Zeeter said.

"Bonnie, there's also something you should know. It's because of these Dreamscapers, or whatever the heck you call them, that one of our team members is dead," Bula said coldly. "I'm in no mood to discuss anything about those killers."

"I…I'm sorry. I, uh…I didn't mean to bring up an old wound," she said. "But I do know exactly what happened with that incident in the caves. Last week, that's all they were talking about on the front page. Professor Autofocus' story was there, and I truly believe that he's telling the truth."

"But Bonnie, everyone we know told us that he was dead for sure. The cave exploded, and there was fire everywhere we went. Debris blocked the door that Autofocus said some cloud pulled him into," Bula replied. "We all know that clouds and lights can't carry people inside a door, let alone talk. I'm sticking with the facts on this one."

"Mr. Bula, I understand that this whole thing is hard for any of us to believe. But if you would just listen to what I have to say instead of interrupting, then maybe we can shed some light on the situation at hand," Bonnie snapped.

The glares on both of their faces set everyone else in the room on edge. Bula wasn't the sort of person to back down and let people have their way; it was about to get ugly. The captain drew in a breath to speak, and Zeeter quickly jumped out of her seat.

"Bula, Bonnie, please," she said in as reassuringly a tone as she could manage right now, "this isn't the time to be arguing. Let's look at what we've got. Wizzy, Wigg, you said that you looked up some information on this 'Dreamscape' thing Professor Autofocus was talking about?"

Wizzy nodded. "Wigg and I were looking at it since the day Multo…you know. We came up with some really interesting results," she said.

Bonnie tore her eyes off of Bula to stalk over to a chair in the farthest corner of the room. "Well, then, what did you find?" she asked.

Wigg nodded. "Well, first, we discovered that the Dreamscape is just like you said. The second thing we learned, though, is unbelievable. The Dreamscapers are called the most powerful aliens in the universe, but for a terrifying reason. They feed off on the despair and sadness from people, and that's what makes them powerful," he said. "So every time they create a dreamscape, they make it in a way that it only causes despair and sorrow for everybody."

"And when that happens, they become practically invincible," Wizzy said. "Wigg and I looked up all of the planets that they've done this to, and the number is….it's unbelievable."

"That means they've taken over every other planet in the galaxy!" Bonnie exclaimed, "and…t-that includes…"

"Yes. That includes every alien race in the galaxy. Well, not every single one," Wizzy replied, noticing the shocked looks on everyone's faces. "Last time I checked, there are still two hundred alien races that haven't fallen to the Dreamscapers' control."

"And how many have fallen to their control?" Zeeter asked.

Wizzy and Wigg hesitated for a split second before they both answered: "Over three hundred."

There was a stricken silence as everyone went over this information in their minds. Bonnie was flushed and confused, Bula's hardened expression suggested this wasn't what he wanted to hear, and Zeeter looked struck dumb with horror.

After a while, Bonnie spoke. "Is there anything else that you learned about these guys, Wizzy and Wigg?" she asked.

"Another thing these guys are capable of is time travel. They go back in time to get the inspiration they need for their dreamscapes, and put those incidents in there," Wigg said. "But, uh…we also found some evidence that they went back in time to change things…sometimes, for the worse."

"As if their obsession with creating worlds wasn't enough," Bonnie muttered under her breath.

"Do you think they went back in time to mess up certain events that took place?" Bula asked.

"I'm pretty sure of it," Wizzy said. "In the database, there was a planet called Erion that was destroyed by a group of people who called themselves the 'Neo-Rulers'. In school, we learned that Erion overthrew their rulers and established peace on their planet. We went back to our old textbooks and saw that everything had changed to fit the whole 'rulers destroy the planet' story. That can only mean one thing."

"It changed because the events changed. They altered history for their own personal gain," Bula said hoarsely. "And if they were to keep travelling through time…"

"They could very well destroy everything that happened in the past. If they went in the past and created a dreamscape there…that would explain why they destroyed the planet. Anyone who resisted the Dreamscapes would be destroyed. As Erion itself was rather rebellious, it doesn't take rocket science to figure out what's happened to them," Bonnie said.

"This…this is nuts." Zeeter collapsed into the chair with a groan, and buried her head in her hands. "It sounds like a sci-fi film mixed with fantasy."

"The Dreamscapers did study magic, from what I remember. They're also incredibly good at shape shifting," Wizzy said.

"Did you know anything about this, Bonnie?" Bula asked.

Bonnie shook her head. "No. They never told us half of the stuff Wizzy and Wigg are telling you now. I still can't believe those people are still around…"

"Neither can I. But right now, we'll have to figure out a weakness of some sort. Everything has a weakness," Bula said. "Did you find out anything about that, you two?"

"No, not yet. We were right in the middle of researching before you got put here," Wigg said. "But we'll keep looking. It's like Multo always said; never give up looking for answers."

"Yeah…" A sad smile came onto Bula's face as his friend's name was mentioned. "I know that's exactly what he would've wanted you to do."

"We always did want to be professors just like him, you know," Wigg said. "He'd also tell us that we're thinking like scientists."

Before Bula could answer, he noticed that Bonnie was sitting straight up, her eyes wide. Her mouth was hanging open in shock.

"Bonnie, what's wrong?" he asked.

The yellow alien responded by picking up the chair she was sitting in and flinging it towards his side. Bula and Zeeter screamed as they avoided the flying chair. There was a loud crash, and a high pitched scream hit the air. Medical tools and other things fell to the floor with a startlingly loud clang.

Bula took one look at the mess and then at Bonnie, eyes flared with shock and anger. "What was that about?!" he shouted.

"A huge robot with really sharp claws almost impaled you, Bula!" she replied. "You should be happy I saved your life!"

Bula's skin went clammy. "A robot with long claws?" he repeated.

"Yes! It was huge, colored purple and had green eyes. It looked like a marionette of sorts, with really long arms and a blank expression," Bonnie explained quickly. "I don't know how it got in here, but it snuck up behind you while you were talking and…I did the only thing I knew how to do."

Zeeter's face flushed with anger. "Those Legion robots are here again?! I swear, if they touch Bula again, I'm gonna bash it until there's nothing left!"

"Zeeter, I would suggest calming down," Bula said gently.

"No time to do that, Bula. We've got a robot to stop," she said.

Whirring came from behind Zeeter, and everyone present stared in utter horror as the marionette rose behind her like a shadow. Before the pilot could react, it had its arms wrapped around her waist, catching her in its claws. She screamed as the sharp metal punctured her skin, causing red to leak on the floor.

"ZEETER!" Bula looked ready to leap out of bed, but just then, a second marionette appeared behind him. It took advantage of his weakened state, and grabbed him roughly by his antennae, the most sensitive part of his head. He cried out in pain as he was forcibly yanked upwards.

Bonnie rushed forwards and swung out with a kick that caught the robot in the eye. This didn't deter it all, and it simply raised its other arm to grab her leg before she could put it down. Its grip secure, the robot sent Bonnie tumbling into the other side of the room, crashing into the tables and sending tools everywhere. She screamed as several of the sharper tools cut into her.

"Bonnie, hang on!" Wizzy cried, but rings of light snapped around her and Wigg's wings, sending them to the ground. A loud whine let them know that Gorga had been captured as well.

The floor came alive with the sound of footsteps pounding. An army of doctors rushed into the room, looking panicked and annoyed. Some of them even looked like they had been in the middle of operating on people. When they saw the massive dolls looming over the Zula Patrol, instruments they'd been holding clattered to the floor.

The two robots studied the doctors for a moment, and then they both raised their hands towards the group of doctors.

_"__Sealing Bind."_

Immediately, a series of black hoops snapped around the doctors, rendering them defenseless. Some of them screamed in outrage, others in terror. The other doll with the blue eyes snapped its fingers, and instantly, the doctors disappeared through the floor. Their screams mounted in terror as they vanished. The two then turned towards the captive Zula Patrol.

"What…what do you want with us?" Bula gasped.

_"It is very simple, Zulean. We want you dead. Our master has given us direct orders to destroy you, as you are a hindrance to our plans," _the first robot said.

"What do you mean? We haven't done anything wrong!" Zeeter cried.

_"You have attacked one of our own, and you have started putting together the pieces of our plot. We must destroy you before you can do act on your suspicions and attack," _the second robot said.

"You can't do this!"

_"Who are you to tell us what we can and cannot do?" _the first robot asked. Although its voice was just as monotonous as its twin's, there was a hint of fire in its voice. _"You are not our Master, and we do not follow your orders. We will do as we are told, and we were told to kill you."_

Just when the doll raised its arms into attack position, the other doll held out its arm in a stopping motion. The first doll looked irritated, but stopped when it saw the other's eyes. They were wide with concentration and attention.

_"What is it, my sister?" _it asked.

The blank look was back on the other doll's face. _"Our Master's orders have changed. Rather than killing them, he wants us to take one of them with us to the Chamber."_

_"And which one of these are going with us?" _the first doll asked.

The second doll looked down at the captive Zeeter, whose eyes widened in abject horror. _"The purple one."_

_"Very well. Bind her and make sure she cannot escape."_

The second doll barely had time to summon a bind before Zeeter kicked her backwards, sending the doll crashing into the wall. She turned and started running for the back exit, but the first robot extended her arm like a rubber band. Its claws immediately wrapped around the girl's waist, and yanked her backwards. Zeeter cried out in pain at this action, which turned into a scream as black hoops snapped around her limbs, throwing her to the ground.

This time, Bula did jump out of bed at the sight. Pain shot up his body every time he moved, but he didn't care. The one thing he did care about at that moment was his friend as he made his way towards the robot, halfway stumbling. His eyes were pools of pain and anger.

"Let…her…go…" he gasped as he struggled to move.

"Bula, don't! You're hurt!" Bonnie and Zeeter cried out.

"No. I'm not going to let…anything happen to either of you!" he said, grimacing as he forced himself to stand at an even level with the doll who had bound Zeeter.

_"You have incredible stamina, Zulean. It will be quite a feat when I destroy you for good,"_ the first robot said. _"However, that shall wait for another time. I have orders to bring your friend to my Master."_

Black rings snapped around Bula as well, forcing his legs and arms together. He struggled to move, but an electric shock went through him, causing him to cry out in pain.

_"Now, sit there like a good pet, and let me do my work,"_ the first doll said. In a single motion, it swept Zeeter into its arms. _"Nirvana, teleport us back to the Chamber."_

_"Yes, Sinatra." _The second doll's eyes flashed, and a green shimmer descended on the three.

"BULA!" Zeeter screamed, and that was the last thing they saw before she vanished completely.

After a moment, the black hoops disappeared from the team's bodies, as the robots were long gone. Bula crumpled to the floor, his legs having given out from standing on them for too long. His eyes were tiny black dots swimming in a sea of red as tears spilled from them. His mouth trembled as he struggled to say something, _anything_ that would help him comprehend this situation.

He didn't know what to think when Bonnie stumbled over to him, and pulled him into a hug, his face resting alongside her chest. He stifled a sob, but he couldn't stop the shaking.

"Bula…if you need to cry, don't hold it back," she said softly.

He tried to push her away. "You don't understand…"

She held him firm against her. "You're right. I don't understand how close you two are. But I understand how it feels to be left alone without anyone to help you. I understand what it's like to have your friends practically ripped away from you, and you can't do anything about it; you can do nothing but watch them die," she said. "I would have a heart of stone if I didn't allow you to cry for a little bit. If you need to cry, don't hold it back. If you need to take some time, take it. But please, do it with someone to lean on."

"You sound as if you've had personal experience," Bula replied.

"I have. And I can tell you that crying by yourself-the kind of outraged, hysterical crying-isn't fun, and it only makes you cry even more," she said. "That's why I do my best to comfort people when they're crying. And you look like you could use a good cry."

With that, something in Bula's mind snapped like an overstretched rubber band. Bonnie said nothing more and stroked his back as he cried, restrained anger, sadness, and grief pouring out of him. Behind her, Wizzy, Wigg and Gorga silently cried, too, as they had two friends who were missing.

As she held the captain against her, tears flooded her eyes as memories of her past seeped into her mind. Even though it had only been a few years ago, she had lost the most precious people in her life to a similar accident. One of those people had been a man who Bula reminded her of, and they had been more than just close friends. Whatever future they had together was gone instantly.

In a way, this did change the way she looked at him. If Bula had noticed, he would have probably let go.

_Someday, _she thought. _Someday, I'm going to have all the evidence I need to prove that those monsters killed my friends._

* * *

><p>Zeeter awoke to voices.<p>

_"I wonder why the professor was thinking of her before he was sent to the Dreamscape. She does not look like she amounts much."_

_"I do believe that he has quite an attachment to her. As he is key in this matter, we might be able to use her for a suitable bribe."_

_"Silence! She is starting to awaken."_

Zeeter opened her eyes to see the two mechanical robots from before looking down at her. She didn't need to be a rocket scientist to see that something was wrong.

**"Welcome back to the world of the living, Zeeter of the Zula Patrol. We have been expecting you."**

And suddenly, the strangest creature she had ever seen floated into view. It was a sand colored vulture who had glowing yellow eyes and black, bushy eyebrows. His purple robes flowed as he walked, and his beak curled into something that was not a smile as he looked at the Patroller.

"Who are you and what do you want with me?" she asked.

**"I am the ruler of this particular faction of the Dreamscapers, Paragor. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," **he said. **"Hopefully, things will go much smoother than what happened with the professor."**

_The professor? Who is he talking about? There's no one else that's a professor other than Auto-_ Zeeter's eyes widened as she realized what they were saying. _No…he can't mean Multo…!_

**"Multo…that was his name…" **Paragor said, stroking his beak. **"Please forgive me for entering your thoughts, Zeeter. It is a rare skill of mine that tends to pop up at the most inconvenient of times. Plus, I like to remember names, especially if they belong to currently deceased people."**

"You...you're the one who killed Multo, aren't you?!" She was ready to leap at the vulture, but the same black hoops that had captured her earlier kept her in place. "What have you done to him? I want to know!"

**"The details of what happened to him is unimportant. What is important, however, is that you keep your mouth shut."**

Zeeter's shut her mouth as instructed, hoping to not get this creature angry. Fear quickly gave way to suspicion as she became curious of his true intentions.

"What happened to Multo?" she asked. "You could at least tell me what happened before he died."

Paragor laughed. **"He released me from the seal that contained us all. And for that, he was the first one to see the Dreamscape up close. That way, he can get a glimpse of what is about to happen to your planet. He will be quite instrumental in bringing this world to pass."**

Zeeter's eyes widened in horror as Paragor turned towards the Legion. "A-Are you saying that...Multo's stuck in another world?!" she shrieked.

**"I would not exactly put it that way, but if it helps simplify things...yes. I did." ** Paragor turned to her sharply, one of his bushy eyebrows raised in a questioning manner. **"From what I gather, there is something between you and Multo, Zeeter. Something that you are very unaware of."**

Zeeter glared at him. "What are you talking about? Multo and I are friends!" she shot back.

**"The last thing he thought of before he passed into the Dreamscape was you, Zeeter...actually, his thoughts lingered on you for much longer than it should be for a friend."**

The pieces fell into place like dominoes. "Are you saying that Multo...was in love with me?" she said.

**"First, he isn't really dead. Second, he was absolutely smitten with you, but your affection, it seems, is directed towards your longtime companion, Bula. There were many signs of it, Zeeter, but you did not notice or ceased to care," **Paragor said. **"If I were in his position, I would cease to care about you in return."**

Zeeter's eyes were wide with shock. She had figured that she and Multo had been friends, and that was it. She didn't at all think of the possibility that he was in love with her, possibly because she had been so wrapped up in her own thing. But now that Paragor had thrown this huge reveal in front of her, everything started to make sense.

The way he'd look at her, for starters. More than a few times, she caught him watching her as she walked, although he'd deny it if asked.

The numerous times he'd asked her to try one of his crazy creations, when either Bula or the kids could've done it.

The numerous times he would compliment her for her ingenuity and creativity, as well as how cute she was.

And of course, there was the fact that he never seemed to be too upset when he lost a bet or an argument. He always looked like he was enjoying himself whenever they argued.

She wished she had discovered this sooner, and that Multo wasn't gone. She wished she could have talked to him about this, and learn the true story from him. But now, there was nothing she could do. He was...somewhere, and she was trapped here, with a maniacal, bird like creature watching over her.

Worst of all, her friends weren't here to help her.

As Paragor started to bark orders to the Legion, Zeeter prayed that this situation would turn out right...


	4. Different Views

**UPDATE (2/11/14): I removed the future parts, as that must be saved for a later time. **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 4: Different Views<span>

It would be several hours into the early morning before order was restored into the hospital. The Legion had managed to teleport the doctors and the nurses to the outskirts of Zulapolis, where the hospital was located, and all doors had been locked until they got back in. When the doctors came back in, it was total chaos as they scrambled to attend to the patients, get communications running, and find out who those strange creatures were.

Word of the incident spread around the city like wildfire, and when told that the Zula Patrol was unable to handle the situation, the mayor himself came to handle the situation, taking it just as seriously as if it were the Truder Crown Affair all over again. In a sense, it was much worse. The planet's main source of protection was two members short, over fifty patients who had had serious conditions didn't make it through the night, and a massive attack had been launched on the building…and nobody knew who did it.

By the time Bula and the others had managed to awaken from their uneasy slumber, it was all over. The mayor of Zula, Paula, had the whole situation under control, issuing orders to the doctors and getting everything back into order. She later visited the Zula Patrol to ask questions, but only Bonnie was up to answering at the moment. Everyone else was currently in emotional shock.

After they had walked out of the hospital room, Bonnie told her everything about what had happened thus far, and what she knew about the attackers. She explained that she didn't know why they would attack the team a second time, but it had to be for something serious.

To her dismay, the mayor frowned. "Bonnie, I'm sorry. But this is utterly insane," she said.

"But Mayor Paula, you must understand that this isn't out of some movie I watched. They were real robots equipped with dangerous weapons and powers. They held us captive in that room with black hoops that we couldn't get out of. They appeared by pretty much _teleporting_ into the room. Also-"

"Bonnie, be serious!" the mayor admonished. "Those Dreamscapers, or whatever you call them, aren't real. I wish I could believe you, but everyone who's been to school knows that the Dreamscapers are nothing but legend." She sighed. "I see that you haven't changed at all from law school. You're still the same dreaming, scheming, gung-ho-for-revenge girl I knew back then. I'm still amazed that you're so convinced these people-"

"I didn't make stuff up then, and I'm certainly not now!" Bonnie hissed. Her face was bright red and her eyes rippled with anger. "Listen to me. These people have the powers of the Dreamscapers. I know they do. How? Because unlike you, I actually paid attention in history class. And I know for certain that a Legion robot killed my four friends!"

Paula closed her eyes for a moment, looking as though she had come to a very hard decision. Eventually she said, "Look, I can't take your word on this, Bonnie."

Bonnie's face went even redder. "Oh, because my word's not good enough?"

"In my eyes, it's not." The mayor's face was flat and serious. "Next time, I'll interview the captain himself. Seeing as unlike you, he knows how to keep his head on straight, he should provide more concrete answers."

"You really expect him to give you concrete answers? Paula, his best friend was kidnapped and he was powerless to stop it. A week ago, one of the members of his team, who happens to be his mentor and friend, _died_ in that explosion. With all that's been going on, I doubt that he'll be able to give you anything that'll help you. All he's concerned about right now is finding his friend and hoping she's alright," Bonnie argued stubbornly. "If you would stop being so doubtful and listen to wha-"

"Mayor, the chairman would like to speak with you. It's rather urgent." The mayor's aide came up to them, a rather concerned look on his face.

Mayor Paula looked relieved to be getting a break. "Alright, tell him I'll be there in a moment," she said. The aide nodded and then he left. She then turned back to Bonnie, who was currently choosing whether to cry or to explode.

"Paula…you have to understand. The Legion is here, on Zula!" she cried.

Paul shook her head. "Get your head out of the clouds and put your feet on the ground, Bonnie. This is all there is."

She then turned and left without saying another word.

* * *

><p><strong>"Hmm…it seems we are causing more uproar than I thought. If we can keep this up, we will manage to overwhelm the Zuleans before they have a chance to retaliate."<strong>

Zeeter's eyes flashed with anger. "You're not putting a finger on my friends! They'll find a way to stop you!" she said.

Paragor's beak curled to form an amused smile. **"And what makes you say that?" **

"We've defeated people even when we were separated! I highly doubt that Bula and the others will be stopped by something like smaller numbers," she retorted.

Paragor laughed. **"Well, it seems we'll have to change that, won't we? The less of you there are, the easier it will be to get rid of you."**

Zeeter felt her skin go clammy for the second time today. She feared that she had revealed some key information that would keep her from being saved by the other Patrollers.

**"And your worst fears have been realized, Zeeter." ** Paragor's lips curled into that dangerous smile once again. **"It will not be now, but I have something in store for your friends…as well as you."**

He threw his head back and laughed once more before disappearing into his chamber, leaving Zeeter alone in the room. The pilot's eyes closed finally, tears brimming at the edge. She thought of how broken and helpless Bula must feel. She thought of how Bonnie and the others were struggling to cope with the mess. She thought of what Multo was doing in that dreamscape Paragor had put him in.

"Bula," she whispered, "please be safe out there…"

**"If you want him to be safe, I would suggest not thinking of him for a moment." **Paragor returned from his chamber with a heavy looking box. It looked like it had been made out of a jade green stone, with various intricate carvings on every side of it.

When Paragor opened the box, all light in the room went out as a blue mist of some sort emerged from the box. The bitter cold that came from it was unlike anything Zeeter had ever felt. Every part of her stiffened up as the mist rolled over her, and her vision started to go hazy. She tried to speak, but the only thing that came out was slurred speech.

Paragor's smile was dangerous as he turned to the Legion. **"Let us begin. This is an offer the captain cannot possibly refuse."**

* * *

><p>The first thing Bula noticed when Bonnie came in was that she looked like a mad bull ready to charge. She seemed to barely even notice him as she came in, her face red and chin trembling. Even though they hadn't gotten off to the greatest of starts last night, he figured he could at least make it up to her by trying to make her feel better.<p>

He barely opened his mouth before she uttered a word that made him stifle a gasp. The room went dead silent as every head turned towards Bonnie, who promptly slammed her fist into the wall, leaving a dent in it. She swore again, this time with feeling.

"Why…why doesn't she believe me?" she cried. "No matter what I do…I can't convince her of anything…"

Bula then saw that Bonnie was shaking and her body was heaving with so. Whatever had happened back there, he knew it had made her pretty angry. He started to crawl out of bed, but that was when she turned to him, her face aflame with red and eyes leaking tears.

"S-Sorry about that. I have a bad habit of swearing when I'm really angry," she apologized. Her mouth twisted into a teary smile.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Not really…just had a really bad start to the day, that's all," she replied. "One of my friends, who happen to be the mayor, doesn't believe a word I'm saying. No matter what I do, I can't convince her that what I'm saying is true. And she's supposed to be my best friend…"

"If I were you, I wouldn't call her a best friend," Bula retorted. Bonnie looked at him with a quizzical expression. "People who don't believe you, yet expect you to trust and believe them, aren't the kinds of people I call friends."

"I know…it's just…gods, it's so frustrating!" Bonnie rubbed her face with both of her hands. "It's just…Paula's the only person who's stuck by my side the whole time during law school, even when my other so-called 'friends' left me behind."

Bula seemed to be stricken. "Could you at least tell me what happened back then?"

This question got a visible shiver out of Bonnie. "I…It's kind of a hard thing to explain. Let's just say I have a grudge against these Legion people and would like to get payback," she said. "Or to be more accurate, I'd like to get justice for the wrongs done against my friends."

"And…you feel as though the Zula Patrol would be able to help you with that?" Bula asked.

"That's the only reason I've joined the Zula Academy to train as a Patroller! If I tried to take the law into my own hands…bad things would happen," she replied.

"If you want justice, you should've come to us earlier, when we weren't going through all this mess!" Bula cried.

"Oh, please. I doubt you'd believe me then either," she retorted. "You don't understand."

It was then that she heard the rustling of the covers, and a series of moans and protests. Hands gripped her shoulders firmly, and she gasped, startled. She found herself looking into Bula's fierce, concerned eyes. One look at his face told Bonnie that he was not going to stop until he got some answers.

"I would," he whispered, "if you would just tell me."

"Fine! I'll tell you what's been going on," she hissed. "Despite all that you've lost, that all pales in comparison to what I've lost! I've lost my home, my parents, my friends, and even the person I loved the most. And you want to know how? It was because a Legion soldier killed them and took them away from me. They told me that they had been released from the caves to give certain 'subjects' a taste of what was to come. And I was one of them!

"And no matter how many times I tried to tell my story, people didn't believe me. My friends left me behind, thinking I was crazy. If it weren't for finding out about you guys, I would have lost my purpose, my very reason for living! I…I wouldn't be standing here in front of you right now, offering what I can to help you."

Bula released his grip from her, his face held in an expression of utter shock. Bonnie's face wasn't as red as it was before, but her eyes were burning with emotion. There was silence for a few moments save for Bonnie taking a few deep breaths to calm down.

"Well," she asked quietly, "are you happy now?"

Bula swallowed hard. "I…no. No, I can't say I am. But…I want you to know that I'm here to help you with whatever you need help with."

Bonnie snorted. "My friends said the same thing, but after a week, they left me. They said they couldn't deal with me anymore. How do I know you're different?"

Bula forced himself to stand up at full height and pulled her close to him. The intensity in his eyes made something in her flutter, and she felt her heart begin to beat faster.

Gently, he smiled. "No matter what happens, I will make sure you get justice for what's happened to your friends," he said. "You have my word."

"Thanks, Bula." Bonnie smiled slightly. "I could use the extra support. Also…sorry for snapping at you. It's not in my nature to do that, honestly."

"Emotions held in for too long can cause us to act differently," he said. "I know the feeling. But right now…I'm really worried about Zeeter. I've already lost Multo, and I'm about to lose my best friend."

"I would tell you not to worry, but I can see that won't change anything," Bonnie said. "I'll be here to help. If she were here, she'd want you to focus on getting better as soon as possible."

An anguished look came over his face, but he quickly wiped it away. "I know. I doubt she'd be happy if I came out to rescue her and end up in worse shape since I didn't wait to fully heal," he said. The look in his eyes said, _If I could, I would go out to find her right now. _

"We will find her, Bula," Bonnie said with conviction. "You have my word."

**_Can Bula, Bonnie and the others save the real Zeeter from Paragor and his forces? There's only one way to find out-wait until next time!_**

**_Oh, and the Truder Crown Affair was a real episode on the Zula Patrol, where Truder planned to steal the crown and become king. It didn't work, of course, but I decided to treat that episode as a serious event in-universe._**

**_And yes, I'm doing a Bula/OC ship. I always have, since my main pairing has been mostly Multo/Zeeter for years. I'll also do my best to build the two ships so that way, they don't feel forced._**

**_Read and review!_**

**_God bless, iheartgod175_**


	5. Return

**Well, this is going to be mostly a break/development chapter... and then we'll get back to the plot. **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 5: Return<span>

It was the later hours of the morning before Bula and the rest of the Zula Patrol, Bonnie included, made their way back to the base. It had been a higher standard than what he saw at the academy, as the bases there had been smaller than he thought. Because he had been promoted to captain of the main force, he, Zeeter, Multo, Wizzy and Wigg had been given this building as their base of operations. Over the next four years or so, it became more of a home to him than anything else.

None of that mattered to Bula at the moment. The sad, rushed feeling he'd felt over the last week came back before they'd even touched down at base. It made every second unbearable. His hands trembled as he punched in the combination to open the door.

_Zeeter, I'm sorry I left you alone out there. I'm a terrible friend._

The week he'd spent in the hospital was the worst time in his life. Bonnie and the others had continually searched for Zeeter, even trying to head to the cave where Multo's life had been taken. Unfortunately for them, the cave was blocked with debris, and the mayor had posted guards to remain outside the cave day and night in order to watch for any activity. They had been unable to get past the security, so they had to go back and tell Bula the bad news.

As they made their way towards the elevator, Bula couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by what had happened to him for the last few days. His friend and mentor had died, a group of powerful aliens had awoken and now his best friend was missing. He would be expected to solve this problem on his own.

And he would have to do it in the midst of a mess that he could have avoided.

As they walked into the kitchen, the kids flying around and getting the place ready. He could have sworn that he smelled Multo's cooking somewhere around the kitchen as he walked through the base, although he knew that that wasn't possible.

"Are you sure you're alright with this, Bula?" Bonnie asked, concerned.

"I'll get through this somehow," he replied. "Right now, I need to make sure everything is just how it was left before we left."

Bonnie still didn't look too convinced. "Bula, you look ready to have a complete meltdown right now. Maybe I should go in and check."

"But-"

"No buts. If I need help, I'll ask Wizzy and Wigg. You seriously need to take a rest from all this," she said.

Bula sighed. "Alright, but if you're not done in five minutes, I'm coming to check on you," he said.

"It shouldn't take that long. What's the worst that could happen?" Bonnie said as she started walking away.

Bula winced. "I hate it when people say that."

When Bonnie walked into the control room, she was amazed to see just how big the space was. It was much bigger than what she'd seen in pictures of the Zula Patrol's bases, although she had to remind herself that this building was given to the team due to a higher rank.

Even then, it was still amazing to see this building up close and personal. Her eyes wandered to the chairs in the corner, the control panel and even the doors leading to the quarters of the base. It would mean the world to her if she could make it to this level.

"Everything checks out?" Bula's voice cut into her thoughts, and she turned to the captain, utterly surprised.

"It's nowhere near five minutes," she answered.

"That's what happens when you're anxious. Plus, I count fast," he replied. "I see you like the building so far."

"Yeah," she said. "I can just imagine the number of exams you have to take to reach this rank."

"Oh, it was over twenty that I had to take, not to mention the courses I had to take in being an astronaut. The whole process took over five years, to be honest," he said.

Bonnie whistled. "In that case, I've got a long way to go."

"You bet. Plus, there are additional things you have to do after you make it to this level," he said.

"Well, in order to take your mind off of things," Bonnie said, steering him over to the couch, "how about you tell me about those?"

Bula blinked. The last thing he wanted to do right now was to think of other things when he should be thinking of Zeeter, but he'd been through enough emotional rollercoasters for one week. Right now, he needed a breather.

As he settled down on the couch, he looked up into her eyes and smiled. "I'd be happy to."

* * *

><p>Wizzy and Wigg sat in their room, pushing around their toys restlessly, anxious for something to do. They had been trying to get home for days, not wanting to worry about Bula or Zeeter and just have the base to themselves. But the first night they had tried that, it became clear that it wouldn't work. Without any of the other Patrollers to stay with them, the base was eerily quiet. The emptiness of the base made them remember the night they'd gone to bed knowing that Multo was gone.<p>

Compared to that, the hospital was much more comforting.

At last, they couldn't stand it for much longer. Wigg angrily tossed his trunk aside, and settled down on the floor, his face set into a scowl. Wizzy looked up and saw her younger brother wasn't doing anything; then again, neither was she. She gently floated over to Wigg and settled in front of him, her face contorted into worry.

"Wigg, what's wrong?" she asked.

"What do you think?" he retorted rudely. "I can't stand being here anymore, Wizz. Now that both Zeeter and Multo are gone…" He paused, his mouth trembling. He'd been unable to stop crying ever since Multo's disappearance.

"Don't worry, Wigg. Multo may not be here, but at least we have Bula, and we have Bonnie and Gorga," she replied. "Besides, Zeeter's not even dead!"

"But she could be!" Wigg said. "Remember two weeks ago, when Multo died? We were all praying that he wasn't dead, that he was probably trapped in those caves and needed us to get him out. But when Autofocus told us there had been an explosion…"

"Wigg, the more you bring up the past, the more you'll make everyone miserable," his sister replied.

"I know. Bula and Bonnie aren't holding up so good, and if it wasn't for us, everyone would neglect Gorga," Wigg replied. "All I want is for us to be a team again…"

The door hissed open, and Bonnie walked in. She was now dressed in jeans and white tank top, with matching slippers.

"Hey, guys! I've ordered some pizza for us, since nobody's in the mood to cook tonight," she said. "Gorga's already downstairs, eating some."

"That's just like him, you know," Wizzy giggled. "It kind of reminds me of Zeeter and Multo, when they'd have those contests where they tried to out eat each other."

"Yeah. Remember when Bula had that taco eating contest?" Wigg jumped in. "The two of them practically stayed off food for three days! Zeeter took all in stride, but Multo was about to crack. On the day of the contest, he ended up eating a really big breakfast before the match, and could only eat a few tacos before he got full!"

Wizzy laughed. "Afterwards, Multo demanded to do a rematch, but he only meant it just to have fun, of course. Zeeter, of course, took it as an actual challenge," she replied. "I forgot when they were supposed to have the match…"

"I think it was when he was done on that trip from the mountains with-" Wigg immediately stopped there as a flood of memories began to come back to him. His joyful countenance fell in seconds, as did Wizzy's. The two looked down at the ground, forlorn and lost.

Bonnie noticed the change in the mood, and gently picked them up and hugged them. "It's okay, you two. I'm not going to judge you for letting out your emotions concerning both of them," she said softly. "I know how it feels. But you know, Multo and Zeeter would want you both to be happy, whether they're here or not. There's still a chance that Zeeter's still out there, so you can't give up on her yet."

"I had a dream that Multo was alive, Bonnie. I didn't really buy the whole 'cave explodes, Multo dies' story. Do you think that he's still alive?" Wigg looked up into Bonnie's eyes, his own pleading for help.

Bonnie blinked, and her face scrunched up in thought. "That…I'm not sure about, Wigg. But with the way you just put it…there does seem to be something off about Multo's death," she said.

"Can you at least ask Bula to look into it for us?" Wizzy asked. "We need proof!"

"I'm sorry, Wizzy and Wigg. But Bula's got a lot of his plate right now. I think it would be best if we didn't bring up Multo later on," she replied.

"Okay," the kids said sadly.

"That doesn't mean that we can't look into this on our own," she said. "Just know that I'll be with you every step of the way."

This seemed to brighten the kids up, and they looked to each other with bright smiles. "Thanks, Bonnie. We really needed that," they said together as they flew out of her hands.

"Heh, you're welcome. Now, let's head downstairs. I had promised Bula that I'd save him a slice," she replied.

Wizzy looked at the alien questioningly. She had a question that had been gnawing at her for a while now, ever since Bonnie had walked into the picture. As they made their way into the kitchen, she decided it would be better to ask now than never.

"Bonnie, there's something I'm curious about," she started.

Bonnie was halfway in the kitchen door when Wizzy asked. She turned around to address the small bug alien. "What is it, Wizzy?"

"I hope I'm not being too rude in asking, but, uh…do you like Bula?" she said.

Bonnie blinked in utter confusion, although the slight tinge in her cheeks didn't go unnoticed. "W-What? What makes you think I like him?"

"Well, you two have been spending a lot of time together, leaving us to take care of Gorga. And Bula's been much more at ease when he's with you," Wizzy said.

"Now that I think about it, she's right!" Wigg interjected. "Is it true that you like Bula?"

The blush on Bonnie's face began to rise. "N-No! Well, I like him, but only as a friend. There's nothing going on between us," she said.

Wizzy and Wigg looked ready to hammer in with more questions when they heard footsteps emerge from bathroom. They all turned simultaneously to see Bula emerge from the secondary entrance to the kitchen, clad in only his blue polka dot pajama pants. A small wave of steam surrounded him as he moved forward, clearly intending on going to his room. It would seem that the constant missions he'd been on and the workout regimen he'd tried out recently had done him quite a favor of keeping him fit. Bonnie's eyes widened in shock as she laid eyes upon him.

_Oh my gods…he's hunky under all that?! _The thought alone made her face light up to a shade of red that wasn't remotely possible for a Zulean. Bula blinked, and then his face tinged slightly as he realized why she was staring.

"Eheheh, sorry about this. I had forgotten to bring my shirt when I went to take a shower," he said nervously. "Sorry, but I'll be out like a light when I go to my room. Feel free to use the bathroom." He spoke with a smile.

"Uh, y-y-yeah, sure…" Bonnie's blush only intensified as he walked past and said his goodnights to her and the others. After he had left, Wizzy and Wigg couldn't help but take a jab at Bonnie's flustered state.

"I knew it! I knew you liked him!" she said.

Bonnie turned towards them, her face redder than a tomato. "That is not true…I just…didn't expect to see that, that's all…"

"Right, that's completely believable," Wigg replied, and the two siblings, along with Gorga, chuckled.

To her credit, Bonnie managed to calm herself down before she went any redder and passed out.

* * *

><p>It would be a couple of hours later that all was quiet in the base. Bonnie, Wizzy and the others had gone to bed about an hour or so ago, as they found they were still tired from the late nights at the hospital. After taking showers and baths of their own (which led to a rather hilarious moment with Gorga) they went to bed.<p>

To his frustration, Bula found that he wasn't sleeping as much as he liked. He was out like a light when he got to his room…for about three hours or so. His mind wandered on his friends, and the next thing he knew, he was now wide awake with no hopes of going to sleep.

"Let's hope I'll find something to keep me busy until I fall asleep," he muttered, getting out of bed and heading to the door. The doors slid open for him automatically, and he stepped through them to head to the elevator.

As the mechanism went down, he couldn't help but think of Bonnie's reaction to his walking out of the shower without a shirt. He couldn't help but chuckle when he remembered Zeeter's reaction after he showed her the proof he'd been following his weightlifting schedule as he said he would. Multo had immediately taken the opportunity to take a jab at her stunned state, and that had led to another comical argument on the floor which Bula had to break up.

Thinking of those two brought a sad smile to Bula's face. Without them to keep him company, he was undeniably alone. Bonnie, Wizzy and Wigg were great to have for company, and of course, Gorgaw would always be his lifetime companion. But Multo had been his mentor and a great friend, and of course, no one needed glasses to see that he truly cared for Zeeter as a friend. Some Zuleans would say that they were more than just friends, but Bula didn't really care about that. He just enjoyed her company and loved her for who she was.

He soon reached his destination; the darkened kitchen where not even a few hours before, Bonnie and the others were eating pizza. As he turned on the light, it occurred to him that he'd been thinking of Bonnie a lot for the last few days-and not in the way he'd usually think about someone like her. She had shown up out of the blue and offered her help towards this case, all the while stating that she had wanted to get justice for her friends.

At the moment, Bula wasn't sure if he should put his full trust in her. He knew she had good intentions, but he wanted to make sure that her own personal goals didn't conflict with the team's mission. And right now, his most important mission was to get his best friend back and deal with the people who took Multo away from their force.

Bula's hand tightened against the jar of jam he held in his hand. The thought of revenge danced in his mind, filling it with dreadful thoughts of attacking those people with everything he had. At once, he saw what he was doing, and stopped himself before he could go too far.

_For someone who sticks to the code of nonviolence, I sure can think of morbid thoughts when I want to._

He finally relaxed his grip on the jar, and set about opening it. He knew there was no way Wizzy and the others managed to save him a slice of pizza, so he decided to have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with milk: a meal that was sure to put him to sleep soon. He quickly spread the condiments on the bread and put the slices together. After pouring himself a glass of milk and putting up the rest of food, Bula started to eat his sandwich. In about five minutes, he had finished his meal, and was downing the milk in his glass.

"I guess I was pretty hungry after all," he muttered as he rinsed the plate and cup. He walked over to turn off the light, and was starting to head back to his room…but that was when he heard a very odd voice start to call his name.

_"Bula…"_

He paused mid-walk, all senses on alert. The last time he had heard a noise in here, it was when the Legion had suddenly shown up and he had found himself locked in the hospital for a week. He looked all around, hoping that it was Bonnie or any of the twins up and about. But the other doors in the base didn't as much as hiss open.

_"Bula…" _The voice was heavily distorted, but at the same time, sounded oddly familiar. It had a very brash, loud tone to it…sort of like-

It was then that he turned to his left, where he thought he heard the voice…and came face to face with something he never hoped to see again.

The strangest creature he'd ever seen was standing right next to his door, its beak curled into a malicious smile. Beside him was a female Zulean with purple skin and blue eyelids, a few inches shorter than him, and wearing a dark purple uniform. Her eyes were gray as though she were in a daze, and her body was covered in strange blue markings, as though in an ancient language.

It was the face that caught Bula's attention…and also stole his breath away.

"Ze-ZEETER!" he screamed, a sound mixed with horror and emotion. He tore his eyes from her and stared hard at the creature in front of him. "What…what have you done to her?!"

**"Mwahahahaha…nothing a little memory patch cannot solve," **the creature chuckled darkly. **"It was about time we met, Bula of the Zula Patrol. I am Paragor, leader of the Dreamscapers, and the one who is holding your dear friend. **

"What do you want?" Bula ground out.

**" I have come to make an offer with you. An offer that you can't possibly refuse."**

"What would have to offer me? I would never accept anything from lowly scum like you!" Bula yelled.

**"Ah, but that is where she comes in," **Paragor continued. One of his clawed fingers slid over Zeeter's cheek, and he chuckled as it left a light purple streak on it. **"You see, I am offering to free her on the condition that you will remain in the Dreamscape as long as I permit it."**

"And what if I don't accept? What if I refuse?" Bula snapped.

Paragor's face darkened. **"It is simple. I will kill her, and everyone else that is important to you, until you have nothing to lose and you willingly come with me. Do you see these markings on her? These are really runes meant to keep one in a dreamlike state until I release them. They also have a time limit of three days, where they will shut down her functions and render her…lifeless."**

Bula's eyes widened. "Are you saying that if I refuse…she'll still die?"

**"You Zuleans are not as stupid as I thought." **There was no smile in the Paragor's voice. **"I already know that you do not wish to lose her, and that the feeling is mutual. That is why I said that my offer is one you can't possibly refuse." **

Bula looked as though he'd been frozen in time. His mouth quivered as he struggled to say something, anything at all.

**"So, do we have a deal?" **Paragor said, smiling thinly. **"I would hate for you to go through more pain than necessary."**

Bula stared at his motionless friend, covered in those strange runes that was currently keeping her from doing anything. His eyes welled up with tears as he mentally screamed her name in his head. After the most painful ten seconds in his life, he gave his answer.

"I'll…I'll do it."

Paragor smiled evilly. **"I knew you wouldn't refuse, not with your precious friend in danger. In three days, you are to come with me to the cave that robbed you of your professor. There, I will give you the more intricate details of my plan. And soon, you will come to see things the way I do."**

Bula balled his hands into fists, his body shaking with anger. "You'll never get away with this."

Paragor chuckled. **"Oh, I already have. Well, it is time for me to say farewell, Captain Bula. Until I call you in three days' time…farewell." **With a snap of his fingers, the blue runes covering Zeeter's body peeled off her skin as though it were tape. The strings condensed into a large, brown box made out of stone, and Zeeter collapsed face first on the floor. Without waiting for Bula to respond, Paragor vanished into thin air.

Bula didn't bother chasing after Paragor. His attention was directed towards the one person he'd just sacrificed his own personal mission for. The wave of emotion was too great to hold back, and he rushed over to her, shaking her awake.

"Zeeter! Wake up! Say something to me, anything!" he pleaded, a sob in his voice.

Zeeter's reply was a snort and then, "Wha?" before she realized what was going on. In a flash, her hands shot out to grab his upper arms, and he stopped shaking her.

"Bula, what are you doing?" she yelled. "I was sleeping peacefully for once!"

All of a sudden it occurred to her where exactly she was. She wasn't inside the same caves that had taken Multo away from them, with Paragor and the other Legion robots hovering over her, examining her like a specimen. She was back at the place she called home, with her best friend and captain holding her in his arms. Her eyes widened as the realization came upon her.

"B-Bula…you…what happened to me?" Zeeter looked all around her, stunned to see her home again. "How did I make it back here?"

Those words alone broke whatever was left of Bula's self-control. The next thing Zeeter knew, he wrapped her up in a dangerously tight hug, letting out a sound that was a mix between relief and worry. He held onto her as though she would disappear if he let go, letting tears of joy fall from his eyes.

Zeeter returned the hug as much as she could, gently patting him on the back. She didn't realize just how badly her disappearance had affected Bula. She still didn't know why Paragor had captured her, or why he'd let her go in the first place, but none of that mattered now.

She was just glad to be back home.

"Zeeter, I'm so sorry," he sobbed, shaking his head. "I wanted to save you…b-but I couldn't…"

"It's alright, Bula. It's not your fault. They wouldn't have let you walk out there anyway," she said soothingly. "But still...what the heck happened to me? The last thing I remember is Paragor pulling out a brown box, and…" Zeeter's eyes widened, and her grip tightened on Bula's arms. "Bula, did Paragor do something to me? I need to know!"

Bula's expression was sad and filled with something else she couldn't quite place. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders, which earned him a look of confusion from her.

"Bula…?"

He sighed. "You might want to come into the living room for this. It's a long story."

For the next hour or so, Bula told Zeeter about everything that had happened during his meeting with Paragor. He explained that he'd been roped into doing the deal with Paragor as Zeeter and the others would have died. Zeeter, as expected, didn't take the news very well.

"Bula, you can't be serious! You would have never made a deal with him if you knew what he did to Multo!" she said.

"That's what I told him. But that was when he told me that the…runes he'd placed on you were set to kill you in three days, which is when I'm supposed to meet him," Bula replied. His expression was sullen. "My love for you and the others is what kept me from refusing. I can't, under any circumstances, sacrifice you for my honor."

"Bu-"

"I can't!" Bula shouted angrily, jumping off the couch. "I'm not going to allow myself to wallow in grief and sadness over losing the people I love the most! I've already Multo, and I'm not losing you!"

Zeeter blinked, utterly surprised. "Bula…you haven't lost Multo," she said slowly.

Bula was about to start shouting again, but that was when he noticed what she said. "What did you just say?" he said.

Zeeter took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. She didn't know exactly how well he would take this, but it was either now or never. She looked up from her hands and looked him in the eye.

"Paragor basically told me that Multo's still alive."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Yes, Zeeter returns, but at what cost? Will Bula be able to go through with this plan? And what's happened to Multo? You'll see soon on The Zula Patrol: Dreamscape Crusade!<strong>_

_**The next few chapters are going to definitely focus on character development, and then we'll jump back into the plot. I want to make sure that we're not rushing these characters during the plot.**_

_**Read and review!**_

_**God bless, iheartgod175**_


	6. Contemplation

**Here's another chapter. It took me a little longer than I would have liked, but I hope that you're satisfied with the result. This should provide deeper insight towards my character, Bonnie, and hopefully show you why she's helping the ZP. I'm also going to cut down on the author's notes in later chapters, because I've noticed that while reading other people's stories, they don't have many A/N's. So, that's what I'm going to do.**

**Enjoy!**

**God bless, iheartgod175**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 6: Contemplation<span>

Bula stared at his friend in utter shock. His breath hitched in his throat, and he was sure he felt the temperature in the room go down about ten degrees.

"M-Multo's…alive?" he repeated numbly. "But that's impossible! Multo's been dead for over a week!"

"I know, it's hard for me to believe, too. But when I confronted Paragor about it, he said that Multo's inside a white void, and that he won't see the dreamscape until after he brings it about. Or, something like that. My memory's pretty hazy, though," Zeeter replied. She remembered that Paragor had also said that Multo was in love with her, but decided to save that. She really didn't want to think of the professor in that manner. And from what she could tell, Bula was overwhelmed enough as it is.

Bula ran a hand through his hair. This was just too much. First, having your friend and mentor die, then having your best friend stolen from you, then making a deal with a slimeball who wanted you as part of his plan, then having said friend return, only to tell you that said mentor and friend wasn't really dead after all, and was being kept from you by said slimeball-

"…insane," he finally said at last.

"What?"

"This…this is completely insane. I can't believe someone would actually come up with stuff like that," Bula said. "There's no way in the world that Multo's alive. I mean, just look at the _facts-_"

"Forget the facts, Bula! This is a completely different subject we're talking about here!" Zeeter shouted. Her face was a mixture of frustration and desperation. "This is _Multo_ we're talking about here! I'd rather believe that he's alive than spending the rest of my life knowing he's dead!"

"But, Zeeter-"

"But nothing, Bula! We need to get information on everything that's been going on. I know it won't be easy for Autofocus, but we have to ask him about what else he remembered seeing the day Multo disappeared." Zeeter looked at her captain, and her expression softened. "I know it sounds crazy, but you've got to trust Paragor on this one. So far, he hasn't lied about anything."

"He obviously found it convenient to lie to us about Multo's whereabouts! He's just using us, Zeeter," Bula said harshly. "I know he is. I wouldn't trust him even if my life depended on it."

"What if it did?" Zeeter asked. "You'd have no choice but to do so. He's a very powerful being who has the ability to kill people with strange magic…stuff. He's obviously been sealed away for a reason. Don't you remember what could've happened to me?"

"Oh, I remember it alright," Bula muttered, painful images of Zeeter's rune covered body coming back to mind. "…Are you absolutely sure that Paragor's telling the truth about Multo?"

Zeeter hesitated for only a moment. "To be honest, I'm not sure. Like you said, he's probably using us. But he didn't say that he was dead. He said that Multo was inside a white void, and that he was part of his plan. That sounds like he's dead to you?"

"No, not really. But I still can't believe it…" Bula muttered. "All this time, we were grieving for nothing…"

"It wasn't anyone's fault, Bula. Without enough evidence to prove it, nobody believed Multo was alive this whole time." She walked over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "But now that you know the truth, we don't need to cry anymore. We can now get our friend back."

Bula gently returned the favor, his expression fierce. "You're right, Zeeter. The whole time, I've really fallen out of it because I believed a lie. But now, we're going to find Multo and bring him back…even if it means having to go through Paragor to do it," he said. "At the moment, though, I'm just glad that our whole team hasn't fallen apart. And I'm happy you're home."

"I'm happy for that too, Bula. You know what I'm really looking forward to?" Zeeter replied.

"What's that?"

"I'm looking forward to taking a long vacation after this is all over," she said.

Bula laughed. "After all we've been through, we do need one," he answered. "Come on, let's go find Gorga and the kids. I know they're anxious to see you."

Not even a few seconds after he said that, the doors slid open and Bonnie walked in. She was dressed in a baby blue shirt and wore dark blue yoga pants with white spots on them. Her eyes threatened to slide closed as she entered, only for them to perk up when she saw Zeeter.

"No wonder I thought that voice was familiar!" she said. She quickly ran over and gave Zeeter a hug. "Zeeter! It's so good to see you again!"

Zeeter coughed out a reply, completely unprepared for the woman's reaction or her strength. "Uh, it's great to see you too, Bonnie. Could you put me down?" she gasped out.

"Sorry about that. I tend to get like that when I reunite with people," Bonnie apologized as she put Zeeter down. "But really, it's great to see you again."

"Thanks," Zeeter replied. "It's great to be back home."

A few seconds later, Gorga, Wizzy and Wigg bounded through the door, having heard the commotion from down the hall. When they saw Zeeter, even Bula could do nothing to keep them from tackling the pilot to the floor. Zeeter laughed as she was nuzzled by Wizzy and Wigg and covered in kisses from Gorga. After she recovered from that, and gave everyone hugs, Bula decided to steer the conversation back on track.

"Wizzy, Wigg, Gorga, I have some very important news to share with you," he started slowly.

"What's that, Bula?" Wigg asked.

"Zeeter learned something very interesting from Paragor, the person who had her kidnapped," he said.

The twins bolted out of Zeeter's arms, anxious. "What is it? What happened?" they asked together.

Bula swallowed slightly; he didn't know how well they would take this. "She learned that Professor Autofocus' story was right. Multo's not dead after all," he said.

Wizzy's eyes widened, while Wigg cheered. "I knew it!" he cried. "I knew Multo was alive! Where is he?"

"Yeah, if he's alive, why haven't we seen him?" Wizzy asked. "Did he forget about us?"

"No. Paragor is keeping Multo there for his own purposes, Wizzy and Wigg. He's using Multo to bring about the Dreamscape that you were talking about," Bula noted sadly. "And he's got me into this scheme as well."

"What do you mean, Bula?" Now Bonnie was concerned. "How did Paragor get you involved in his schemes?"

"He used Zeeter as a bribe to do so. I…I couldn't let her or any of you die. Also, he promised to tell me just why he's doing what he's doing. I do regret making a deal with him, but I'd rather do that than put your lives at risk. That's more important than anything," Bula explained.

A thoughtful, tense silence came upon the team as they recalled Bula's words. Zeeter still looked angry, the kids looked shocked, and Gorga seemed to disapprove. As for Bonnie, she was looking down at the floor, her face resting on the palm of her hand.

"I know none of you approve of what I've just done, but trust me, if it means we'll have a better chance of defeating Paragor, I'm willing to take it. And if it means getting our friend back, I'm more than willing to take that chance," Bula said. "But I certainly can't go this alone. I'll need some help." He stuck out his hand. "So, is anybody with me, or am I going to do this by myself?"

Again, he was met by silence. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zeeter nod, and she eagerly placed his hand on top of his.

"You can count on me!" she said. "I want to show Paragor just what happens when you mess with the wrong Zuleans!"

Bonnie's expression was just as willing as she put her hand in. "Alright, I'm in. For the sake of Zula and everybody else, I'm going to fight!"

Wizzy, Wigg and Gorga needed no second bidding as they joined in. "Count us in!" they said, and Gorga yipped happily in response.

"Are we going to get some help from anybody else, Bula?" Zeeter asked.

"I'm thinking of asking Professor Autofocus to join us. He'll be more than eager to help when he hears what you have to say," Bula explained. "Come on, team! We've got a mission to do!

"This is a job for the Zula Patrol!"

* * *

><p>A cold smile caused Paragor's beak to curl upwards as he listened to the anguished scream of a Zulean who had wandered to close to the caves. Seconds later, a chorus of screams filled the air as three more Legion robots made their way out the door to deal with them. It wasn't long before brutal sounds filled the air, bringing even more horrified screams.<p>

"**Can you hear it, Ignis? The sounds of many aliens screaming in horror is music to my ears."**

His second in command nodded, her blue eyes glowing with the murderous intent of her sisters. _"I agree, Master. It is quite the sight to behold indeed. I never thought I would see the day where millions of aliens would bow down to us in utter terror."_

It wasn't long before the killing stopped. Paragor could only imagine the scene in the morning when the authorities came to see what was going on.

"_Master, there is something that has been bothering me about Dark Truder,"_ Ignis stated.

Paragor turned to her. **"And just what is that, my dear Ignis?"**

"_I am worried that once we have finished taking care of the Zula Patrol, he will try to use that opening as a means to take over Zula itself. He expressed desire to do so when we first met."_

"**I see…but then again, I did look at his record of various skirmishes with the Zula Patrol. They have managed to stop him at every turn. He is quite ineffective at this, so you need not worry. If he refuses to cooperate, you know what to do."**

"_I understand, Master."_

"**Even so****, I do wish to keep them alive. I made a deal with the captain in which I promised to exchange Multo after I explained the Dreamscape to them. I believe they will soon come to see things my way after I explain myself and my story."**

Ignis clearly didn't like this idea, and her tone indicated it. _"Master, Truder has already explained that they are strongest when they are together. This professor, or Multo, as Zeeter called him, is their only link to finding out more about us. He must not, under any circumstances, be allowed to reunite with his friends."_

"**You seem to have taken a keen interest in Multo, Ignis. Or rather, to be more specific, an interest in getting rid of him. Would you like to explain why?"**

"…_I believe you wouldn't understand, Master."_

"**Of course I would. If it's personal, I would ask you to keep your personal agendas to yourself. You will follow my orders, as you have sworn loyalty to me and to my cause."**

The barest hint of emotion came into the Legion commander's face. _"Master-"_

"**Do not test my patience, Ignis. I have fought hard to get to where we are now; we are at the cusp of victory, and now you insist on going on your own personal agendas. You of all people know that doing so causes chaos, and costs precious time that could have been spent savoring our triumph. I will not have you turn on your ideals, Ignis, neither will I allow you to carry out your revenge on Multo."** The coldness in his voice had doubled during this speech. **"I will handle all that concerns the Zula Patrol. You are to do nothing to them."**

Ignis's head drooped slightly, as if she were ashamed of what she had said and done. _"Yes, my Master."_

There was a moment of tense silence between the two, the sounds of the wind rushing past filling their ears. Ignis took the moment to think back to what had come over her to do that. She never argued with her Master, and she was loyal to him and him only. He had taken care of her far longer than that wretched professor Multo had.

She was right in that he wouldn't understand. None of her Legion, from Mayflower to Sinatra, would understand why her need to kill Multo was so great. It was essential for her, and Paragor's powers had given her that one hope.

"_Master, forgive me for stepping out of my boundaries. I swear it shall not happen again,"_ she replied.

"**Be at ease, Ignis. This incident has awakened past, personal desires in both of us,"** Paragor said, almost gently, although Ignis doubted her superior could be capable of showing that much emotion.**"Call in the rest of the Legion. As tempting as it is, we must not let our personal vendettas get in the way of our main mission."**

Ignis was halfway through the mouth of the cave when he said that. _"I understand, my Master."_ And with a shimmer of red light descending onto her body, she disappeared into the ground, leaving Paragor alone in the chamber.

The Dreamscaper turned towards the capsule in the deepest part of the temple, his eyes becoming narrow slits as he remembered the cargo it was currently holding.

"**I am curious as to why Ignis was determined to kill Multo. But that can wait later,"** he muttered. **"In the meantime, I must practice the spell I must use in order to fully explain my past to the Zula Patrol. My skills have declined slightly due to lack of usage. There is no need to slack off now."**

With that, Paragor made his way towards the darkest parts of the temple.

* * *

><p>"Wow, this is so cool!" Bonnie cried, gazing in wonder as she stared down at the Zula Patrol badge pinned onto her shirt in amazement. The metal badge gleamed in the bright lights of the room, seeming to wink at her as it did. "I've always wanted one of these! Thank you so much for giving me this!"<p>

"Well, since you are going to be joining the Zula Patrol in a few years, Bula decided to let me give you Multo's old badge," Zeeter replied. "He had to get a new one ever since the clasp got too tight."

"I was just about to ask why this thing felt prickly," Bonnie responded, scratching at her chest. "The clasp does have a tendency to poke you a lot, doesn't it?"

"Well, unlike you, I don't have a prominent figure," Zeeter said, "so it doesn't affect me as much. But the amount of complaints forced the company to start making slide on clasps."

"Cool," Bonnie replied. "Wish I could've gotten one of those."

"Hey, Bonnie, I hope I'm not being too rude in asking this," Zeeter started, "but is there any particular reason why you're here at our base?"

The smile dropped from Bonnie's face. Her eyes slipped to her feet and her mouth worked around nervously. Zeeter could immediately tell that it wasn't the most appropriate question to ask.

"Oh. I…I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's alright. I'm the one who's walked in here unannounced," Bonnie answered quickly. "You deserve to know some answers."

Zeeter stopped walking and turned to face her, arms folded and eyes quirked into a curious expression. "Okay, shoot."

Bonnie sighed. "...This happened years ago, back when I was starting college. I had a group of friends of all different kinds. One of them was this really cute boy that Bula reminds me of. His name was Beck, and the two of us used to go on adventures together. On occasions, we'd bring our friends along, but I loved spending quality time with him."

"Did you have a crush on him?" Zeeter asked.

Bonnie stared at her in surprise. "W-What makes you think I had a crush on him?" she stammered, her cheeks burning.

"Well, 'really cute boy' isn't what I would use to describe a close friend," Zeeter said.

"Oh...okay, so I might have had a _tiny _crush on him. But he already had a girlfriend, so nothing ever came of it," Bonnie said.

"Ah...the unlucky childhood friend, huh?" Zeeter asked.

Bonnie nodded. "Yeah, but it never really bothered me. Someone else made him happy, and I decided to let it go," she said.

"Well, before we got off topic about your crush," Zeeter said, "when was the last time you saw Beck and your friends?"

"Several years ago," Bonnie replied. "It was during my senior year at the Zulean Institute, while we were on spring break."

Zeeter had a sudden feeling that things were going to get unpleasant. "Do you want to me to wait, or-"

"No. I need to tell it now, because I won't be able to later," Bonnie interrupted. Her voice quavered, as though she were afraid of possibly losing her cool in front of Zeeter. "One day, we heard a rumor that there had been an attack on some Zuleans in Zazu Falls. When the police asked everyone, they claimed that they were attacked by these strange automatons. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, since we had spent a long time in my mythology class reading about the legend of the Dreamscapers, who had automatons called the Legion. So, I told Beck, Luli and Ferdi that we should go and check it out. And that…was where things went wrong. Horribly."

"What happened?" Zeeter asked.

Bonnie ran a hand through her messy hair, and when she let go, it was left sticking straight up. "We went to Zazu Falls to find out what happened, and that was where we found this cave. It looked really old, as in the Dark Days of Zula old. The moment we stepped inside, the rocks collapsed, blocking the opening and allowing no way of escaping. We had to go forward, and that was when we came upon this temple," she said. "We didn't really know if it would lead us out of the cave or not, so we tried to find a way to open it. We tried everything, but no success….until Beck ran his hands over the door of the temple. It had a strange symbol over it or something-"

Zeeter snapped her fingers. "Wait a minute! That's exactly what happened to Multo and Professor Autofocus when they stepped into the cave. Autofocus told me that Multo opened the door to the temple by running his hands over this strange symbol."

"And then, we saw something so horrible, I think 'revolting' would be a compliment. It was a pink and white cloud, with orbs of blue for eyes. It was definitely a woman's voice, but she sounded like a robot, and she wasn't at all friendly. She said that now that Beck had released her from the temple, she would allow him to see this…this 'Dreamscape' up close. We all ran, but then there was a bright flash, and then…everything blew up," she said. "I don't remember much except smelling something that didn't smell at all like smoke. I woke up…and I saw Luli. She…there was nothing left of her. It was like looking at a shadow…the burns had blackened every part of her."

"Oh, gods," Zeeter muttered, "that's awful."

"I know for certain that my friends died in that explosion, because I saw the rest of my friends scattered everywhere, their hollowed…burned bodies looking at me." Bonnie trembled slightly, pausing to swipe at her eye. "I-I never found Beck, though…I searched the entire cave, and even half the t-town, but still…"

Zeeter found herself wiping her eyes as well. "Bonnie, I'm so sorry about your loss…I didn't even kno-"

"And you know what the worst part is? I can't even get justice for them, because it's done by people everyone thinks are legend! Even the mayor doesn't believe me, and she used to be my oldest and most trusted friend!" Bonnie ranted. Sorrow gave way to anger as she recalled the memories. "You guys thought I was crazy at first, didn't you? When I told you about how I knew about the Dreamscapers, you didn't believe me. Not that I can blame you…"

"Bonnie," Zeeter started, "to be really honest, I consider myself to be the last person in the world you want to comfort you. I'm not really…uh, good at helping people with emotional problems."

Bonnie looked surprised and slightly hurt. "Well, why did you ask me about this, knowing that I-"

"You didn't let me finish. I may not be the best on comforting people, but I _can _give you some advice. No matter what people say, stay true to what you believe in. I can't tell you how many times I've done that during a mission, when someone says something else, and you know that what you're saying is true," Zeeter explained. "What I'm saying is, don't let other peoples' words get to you. When you do, you end up doubting yourself. And don't forget that you have friends that will gladly listen to whatever you need to say."

"I've been told that a million times, and I've been shut down," she said. "What makes this time any different?"

"What makes this different," Zeeter answered, "is that you've got a group of people who are going through the same thing you went through."

* * *

><p>The night was cool and breezeless as Bula stepped outside to get breath of fresh air. The moon was large and beautiful, its surface seeming to entrance him as he gazed upon it. Millions of stars surrounded it, and from far away, he could see a few planets here and there.<p>

"Gosh…it's so beautiful tonight," he muttered aloud as he gazed up at the stars. He always had a love of stars since he was a young boy, hoping to become a great astronomer. Of course, his interests changed later, but that didn't stop him from coming out regularly to do some stargazing.

Tonight, though, he wasn't hunting for constellations, undiscovered planets or even collapsing stars. He was currently surfing through everything that had just happened to him in the span of one day. His return home had been quite eventful, what with Zeeter showing up and Paragor making a deal with him.

Had he known that Multo was alive sooner, he wouldn't have done a deal with that slimeball. But when he pictured Zeeter in those…time runes, as Paragor had called them, rendering her motionless and unable to talk, he realized quickly that he couldn't have possibly lived with knowing that he'd let her die.

He was also starting to wonder if it was such a good idea to let Bonnie in as a temporary ally. While she'd told him part of her reasons for being here and working with them, he was worried about her personal agenda interfering with their mission, which was to get Multo back and stop the Dreamscapers by any means necessary. The others seemed to have taken a liking to her, but Bula wouldn't be won over by her that easily. He needed to know that she was the real deal; that she was serious about helping them. He'd have to lay down the ground rules for her tomorrow.

Bula sighed. What was he turning into? Sure, he was just doing his job, but he was never this jaded before. Then again, ever since Multo went on that fateful trip, things had started going wrong…

"No. I swore to myself that I would do whatever it took to complete this mission," he said, "and I'm not going to let what happened the last two weeks get to me. Not by a long shot."

With those words, the captain of the Zula Patrol walked back inside. He wasn't sure if it were his own mind playing tricks on him, but he was sure he heard Multo's voice say 'thanks' as he boarded the elevator.


	7. The Search For Answers

**Here's another chapter. This should provide deeper insight towards my character, Bonnie, and hopefully show you why she's helping the ZP. Also, it'll reveal more about that strange artifact that Paragor used on Zeeter, and some more more about the Dreamscape. **

**Enjoy!**

**God bless, iheartgod175**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 7: The Search for Answers<span>

Professor Autofocus once more found himself pacing right at sunrise. Though it was six thirty in the morning, and he had to be at work at eight, he couldn't fall asleep even if he tried. It had been almost two weeks since the incident in the caves, and dreams of Multo's horrific fate plagued his sleep. He would sleep for a mere three hours before he woke up screaming, the memory forever burned into his mind. Afterwards, he would cry out in grief at having left his friend behind to die.

He walked to the kitchen, which provided a full view of the beautiful sunrise coming over Zula. Sunlight poured over the island and table in his kitchen, lighting up everything in sight. As he lived in the apartments not far from observatory, his kitchen had a back porch where he had placed some plants and a small chair on the occasions where he wanted to sit outside.

Autofocus was about to eat some breakfast when he heard his phone ring. Sighing, he trudged over to answer it. For the last two weeks, he'd been getting calls from nearly everyone on Zula, some offering their condolences, others asking if he was really as crazy as they said he was in the papers. He regretted telling his side of the story to the papers, as he had known that nobody would believe a word he had to say.

It didn't matter. Nothing they said could stop the tears as he visited Multo's grave.

_Multo, I'm sorry I abandoned you. I was supposed to be your friend. I was supposed to help you in your time of need. But…but I ran away instead like the coward that I know I am. I am so sorry…_

The phone's rings exploded into his thoughts. Irritably, he yanked the receiver up to get the stupid thing to stop ringing.

"This is Professor Autofocus speaking," he said as kindly as he could, although that wasn't what he was feeling at the moment. "How can I help you?"

_"Oh, I didn't know you were up this early, Autofocus."_

"Bula!" Autofocus exclaimed. "I heard that you were out of the hospital. How are you feeling?"

_"Much better now, thank you. Listen, I need to talk with you about something very important. Since I can't go anywhere at the moment, I need you to come to headquarters," _he said.

"Oh? And what do you want to talk about, Bula?"

There was a pause, and then the captain said, _"It's about what happened to Multo. Zeeter's come up with some evidence that shows your story isn't as crazy as everyone thinks."_

_This would pop up right when I'm trying to stop thinking about Multo,_ the astronomer thought bitterly. "Alright, what did she come up with?"

_"She said that she also believes that Multo's alive. We have a temporary member who's been through the same thing. If you listen to what she has to say, I think we can come up with something."_

Autofocus paused. "And you want me to help you in this matter?" he said.

_"Yes. I need you to also bring along that stuff on the Dreamscapers that you were looking at, as well as your other research. The more information we have, the better it'll be for everyone."_

Autofocus sighed, and rubbed a hand through his head. This Dreamscapers incident was starting to really get under his skin, and he was getting tired of everyone asking about it. But if it proved that Multo was still alive, he shouldn't really have any problems with sharing what he'd gathered to his oldest friend's colleagues.

_"Of course, if you're too busy, I can reschedule this appointment later…"_

"No, I'm not that busy," Autofocus lied. "I have enough time to meet with you before I get to work. I'll bring everything, and we'll compare it with what you've gathered and see if we can come up with an answer."

Bula sighed in relief. _"That's great. I'll get Wizzy and Wigg to help out in getting our stuff together, and we'll see you in an hour, okay? Oh, and Zeeter's going to make breakfast for us, so you don't have to worry about not eating."_

Autofocus smiled. "Thank you, Bula. I'll be over there soon," he answered, and hung up. With renewed energy, he strode to his room, throwing off his clothes and putting on his uniform.

He'd lied when he'd said that he wasn't that busy. The fact that he'd been grieving for two weeks meant that work had been pushed back, and he had many projects that still needed to be finished. If he took another day to push that back, he would never finish.

But that wasn't important to him. A million projects meant nothing to him if it meant that his friend was really alive, and not dead as everyone thought he was. And for that reason, he put helping the friends he loved above doing the job he loved so much.

"I hope I can get to the bus on time; the new bus driver has been coming early lately," the astronomer muttered. Sliding on his jacket, he grabbed the research packet he'd constructed and flew out of his house.

* * *

><p>"Guys! Breakfast is ready!" Zeeter's call could be heard from a mile away if one stood outside their door for long. Bula chuckled as he, Bonnie, the kids and Gorga walked into the kitchen.<p>

"You screamed, Zeeter?" he teased. The small pout on her face made him laugh even more.

"Hey, it's the best way to get everyone to come down!" she said. "Besides, my voice needed a good warm up."

"You won't ever catch me doing that," Bonnie replied. "I'm not the kind of person who likes yelling all the time."

"You'll have to get used to it," Zeeter answered simply, "'cause I yell a lot."

"That's pretty much an understatement," Bula chuckled. Before Zeeter could say anything, the doorbell chimed, and Bula quickly got up to answer it. He pressed the open button on the doors, and watched as they slid open, revealing an exhausted Autofocus standing there.

"P-Professor, I told you that you didn't have to come if you were bus-"

"No, now is the perfect time. I'm losing enough sleep over this as it is," the professor replied hurriedly. Bula stepped aside to let him in, where the professor greeted the other members of the team. When he saw Bonnie, he was surprised. "You didn't tell me that your newest member was a girl, Bula…"

"Eh, yeah," Bula said, "I did kind of forget that, didn't I?"

Bonnie pouted slightly. "Aw, you're so mean," she muttered, and Bula chuckled. Then she smiled lightly. "Don't take it too hard, Bula. I'm not that mean of a person."

"Well, as long as we're standing here, I suppose we might as well eat breakfast. It's going to get cold with us just standing around," Zeeter mentioned.

"Ooh, I can smell the honey in those pancakes, Zeeter," Professor Autofocus said. "It smells delicious."

About thirty minutes later, the group had managed to finish their dinner and enjoyed a wonderful, homemade breakfast prepared by Zeeter herself. Bula had to admit that the pilot was a good cook, and couldn't understand why she always said her fare was mediocre. Compared to Multo's food, however, it was the closest thing to gourmet the Zula Patrol would ever get.

Once the dishes were clear and everything was put away, they were finally ready to get down to business. Bula started out by filling in Autofocus on what had happened during his stay at the hospital, which included Zeeter getting kidnapped by members of the Legion, and how he was forcibly bribed into coming to Paragor's cave. Autofocus had heard some of it when a few of his colleagues went to see Bula, but he had dismissed it as a silly story. When he heard it from the captain, it convinced him that he wasn't lying about it at all.

The mention of those strange runes on Zeeter's skin sent warning bells through Autofocus' mind. For the last two weeks, he'd been having dreams that Multo was stuck in some blue, runelike markings, his eyes chalk white and body motionless. Most of those dreams ended horribly with him either dying, or for a strange, vulture like creature to reach out for Autofocus himself. If those were the same markings, then the dreams he'd been having couldn't be a coincidence.

As he listened, he realized that they were looking to him-for guidance, for hope, for support, and especially for answers._ I'm so sorry, everyone. I don't have the answers for everything; that would be, in fact, Multo's job to know these things…_

"Autofocus, we're not going to hold anything against you if you don't have everything," Bula said, finishing up his recap, "especially since the situation hit you pretty hard. It would be nice if you did have all the answers, but that would be asking for too much."

"Bula's right. I know that we're expecting a whole lot from you," Zeeter said, "but since you told Bula that you'd done some amount of research on the Dreamscapers, it would be great if you could shed the light on this mystery."

"You needn't trouble yourselves so much. I understand that you were all worried about my…mental state after the incident in the caves," Autofocus stated, "but I swear I'm getting better. I'll do what I can."

"Wizzy, Wigg and Bonnie were very helpful in filling us in about who the Dreamscapers were. But…I've never heard of this Legion before. Can you possibly explain what's going on?" Bula asked.

Professor Autofocus pushed his glasses back into place. "Well, I would, but before I can, I need to explain another thing that I discovered during my research," he said. "Unfortunately, I've been so busy lately that my research isn't one hundred percent complete. But, it is the best I've got."

Bonnie leaned forward, an eager look on her face. "Lay it on us, professor."

"Alright." Autofocus pulled out his suitcase, opened it and pulled out a stack of papers. Some of them were thin, while others were thicker than cardboard. They hit the table with a loud slap as Autofocus placed the suitcase on the floor. He then composed himself and looked at the aliens in the room.

"First of all, have you all heard of a term called 'alternate universe'?" he asked. "Or better yet, time travel?"

"Yeah, I've heard of it," Zeeter scoffed, "in those books they claim to be 'science fiction'."

"I'm afraid this is not science fiction. The Dreamscapers, what with their ability to create other worlds out of their dreams, have created alternate universes. That's really what these dreamscapes of theirs are. It's their vision of what the world should look like, at least to them. What they think the world should be like differs from person to person. However, I will tell you that the end results aren't pleasant." He pulled out the first three sheets from the top stack, the ones that were cardboard thick, and handed it to the team, his expression grave. "I think you'll need to see it to believe it."

Bula took the pictures from the professor and he and the other Patrollers crowded around to look. The first picture they held in their hands appeared to have been captured at a daring height. In it, a city being swallowed by a black dome of energy was shooting up winds and dust, and with it, other helpless aliens. The shot showed a male flying past, his eyes wide with horror and his scream captured on camera as he fell to his fate below.

The second picture was even worse. The entire thing was a big, orange bubble, with little black specks in the middle and nothing remaining around it. Bula almost thought that it was a trick of the eye until he saw the ring of smoke that surrounded the bubble, and realized that the blacks specks ere really aliens who were unfortunate enough to get caught up in the blast. Swallowing, he put the picture down to go to the third one, only to immediately regret it.

The third one was the most gruesome of all. This one didn't have entire cities getting destroyed by a massive bomb, or terrified citizens about to fall to their doom. This picture showed four Legion robots walking amongst a street that was literally covered with dead aliens. Some aliens looked lilke they were sleeping, while others appeared to be almost brutalized. Green, blue and red blood covered their bodies, making them look like a rainbow of sorts. The Legion's eyes were hard and soul-piercing as always as they glared at the unseen cameraman.

A stricken silence permeated the air as they viewed the photos. Wizzy and Wigg's jaws hung slack, Zeeter's eyes were wide with horror, Bonnie was trembling slightly, and Bula's expression mirrored that of a man who's found a dead body. Professor Autofocus' expression was sorrowful, as he immediately regretted letting them see the pictures.

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have shown those to you, especially after breakfast," he said quietly. "It's just that I know for certain that trying to explain it would make me sick…" He accepted the pictures back from the captain, whose hands were shaking. "But…I need you to know the gravity of the situation when you learn that over three hundred alien races died under these people."

"Wizzy and Wigg told us that," Bonnie replied. She seemed to be struggling to regain her composure. "But…is that really what their dreamscapes hold? Terrible fates for everyone?"

"These are some pictures of the last known accounts of a few races who had their planets taken over by the Dreamscapers. The last one happened due to a rebellion, as the aliens refused to come under the Dreamscapers' rule. As you can see, it didn't end well," Autofocus said. "However, their dreams aren't all pleasant. If anything, I would call them nightmares."

"You mentioned something about time travel, Autofocus," Bula mentioned, trying to steer the conversation back to the professor's earlier statement. "Do they go back in time to make their dreamscapes come to life there?"

"Sometimes. But their favorite habit appears to be just bringing it to pass. They do, however, have the ability to manipulate time, rather than go back in time," Autofocus replied. "And that brings me to the next part. They have help from a very powerful weapon, forged by many of their powerful ancestors."

"Who?" Bula asked.

Autofocus pulled out another picture and held it. It showed a large, brown box that appeared to be made out of ancient stone, covered in a strange alien language that nobody could recognize. At once, Bula's heart skipped a beat, and he tightened his grip on Zeeter's hand. The pilot looked at him in alarm, but Bula shook his head indicating that everything was alright.

"Not who, Bula, but _what_. It goes by the name Chikyuu, which in the old language means 'time'. All I know about it so far is that it's no ordinary artifact. It is infused with a very powerful, very evil magic. The Dreamscapers, as you know were not only master technicians and had access to technology that wouldn't appear for the next thousand years, but they were master magicians as well. You could call it perfect harmony between science and magic." Autofocus chuckled. "If only that were true today…so many things wouldn't go out of hand…"

"Autofocus," Bula urged gently, before the professor went off into his own world again. "Let's not get carried away."

"Oh, right." The professor coughed, and regained his composure again. "Chikyuu is known to be kind of like a genie, in that it will grant wishes to its user. The only problem is that it comes with a hefty price. In exchange for these wishes, it will continually drain that person's energy every time it's used. In other words-"

"The user can die if they use it far too often," Zeeter said shakily, "right?"

"Right. It can't be used to make good wishes, not at all. If you do make a good wish, it will only twist it to make you wish you never wished for it. Its magic comes out in blue runes, covered in the same ancient language as the box shows. It's mostly used to stop time, or for time travel as I described earlier. However, it has been passed down from ruler to ruler, as the artifact killed them off."

"My goodness," Bonnie muttered. "That's…that's awful."

"It's even more awful considering that Zeeter was under that thing's control," Bula added, looking at his friend. "Paragor did look somewhat pale when he showed up at the base with her…"

"Chikyuu can also kill people. I think you've figured that one out," Professor Autofocus muttered. "If I were you, I'd stay far away from that thing as possible. It's practically a death sentence."

"I have a feeling that we'll have no choice but to confront it…and its Master," Bula said. He was shaking as memories poured into his mind. He didn't get a good feeling from Chikyuu, not at all. Especially since the leader of these Dreamscapers had it in his possession.

"What should we do?" Bonnie asked. "There's no way we can fight against the Dreamscapers without powers!"

"I'm currently reviewing a legend about the Dreamscapers right now, Bonnie," Autofocus replied. "Unfortunately, I can't answer the other questions that are crucial to this case, such as the strange symbol that Multo and your friend Beck were able to open, or of a way to defeat them."

"Are you sure that's all you've got, Autofocus?" Bula asked.

"I'm afraid that's all I've got for now, unfortunately. I'll go through everything I possibly can in the next few days," he explained. He looked down at his watch and he bolted out of his chair. "Oh, my goodness, I'm late!" Quickly, he grabbed his suitcase and shoved the stuff back inside, not caring that it was sloppy.

"Well, if that's the case, we'd better not keep you," Bula chuckled. "I know how important that job is to you."

"Oh, thank you, Bula. You are a lifesaver indeed," Professor Autofocus replied, relieved. "I'll let you know the minute I find anything that will help us in this mystery."

"Sure thing," Bula replied. "Now, you'd better hurry. You won't have much time before the shuttle bus leaves."

"Oh, right! Well, goodbye, everyone! Have a nice day!"

After the professor rushed out, Bula stood there, his body stiff and hands shaking slightly. He was still completely unnerved upon recalling the information that Autofocus had given them. These Dreamscapers were more menacing than he thought, what with their plans to destroy everything in sight.

A hand rested on his shoulder, and he turned to see Zeeter standing behind him, her eyes contorted downwards to form a frown. Bonnie, Wizzy, Wigg and Gorga had already left the room.

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked. "You looked like a vampire had drained you when Autofocus told you about that, uh, Cheek-you thing."

"That's because I remembered when he showed up to base with you covered in those runes," he said. "You told me, though, that its color was jade green, not brown."

"It's one weird thing, if you ask me," Zeeter replied. "Personally, I think the more it's used the more power it loses. I know it sounds crazy, but…"

"I don't think it's that crazy. It could very well work, what with the fact that you mentioned Paragor getting paler when he used that thing on you," Bula muttered. "However, we'll need more evidence to prove it."

"Come on, Bula. What else do we need to prove?"

Bula frowned. "A lot more than you think, Zeeter. These people are centuries old aliens that had access to technology and powers beyond our wildest dreams, and they're using it to kill thousands, if not millions, of innocent people. And everyone believes that they're legend. If we're going to prove that these guys aren't legend anymore, and that they're directly linked to the killings that have been taking place recently, we need more proof. Autofocus' answers alone won't help us."

Zeeter sighed. "I just hope you're right, Bula. We don't have much time before you have to meet with that slimeball," she replied.

"I know. I'm not looking forward to it, either. But so far, we've got things under control. If those Legion soldiers attack, we'll find a way to fight back. And if that weapon Chikyuu or whatever it's called is part of their plan, we'll get it back before they can use it," Bula said. "It sounds simple enough."

"That's easier said than done. I have a feeling that the Dreamscapers are pretty unpredictable," Zeeter replied. "But I'll trust you this once, Bula. Do whatever you need to do."

Bula pulled his friend into a hug, relieved. "Thanks, Zeeter. I was afraid that everybody would gang up on me and tell me that I shouldn't go."

"Look, I know you better than anyone. You wouldn't sacrifice your friends for your honor. If anything, you're doing the opposite," she said.

Bula sighed. "I just have this feeling that I'm going to regret having made this choice…"

* * *

><p>"Ooh! Almost had him!" Bonnie furiously mashed buttons on her handheld game, rushing to shoot down all the rocks before they crashed down on Zula. She had just reached level twenty four, the hardest level of the game thus far, and the asteroids were coming down ridiculously fast. Her gaze narrowed in concentration as she did her best to overcome the game's difficulty.<p>

She was so engrossed in her own world that she didn't hear the elevator rise in front of her. Bula was standing there, holding a clipboard and looking somewhat impatient. Bonnie took a quick glance towards him and quickly returned to her game, where the rocks were falling at a ridiculous rate.

"Bonnie, there's something that I need to talk to you about," he started.

"What's there to talk about?" she answered, continuing to mash buttons. "I already told you abo-"

"It's not about your personal history. I need to lay down the ground rules about the Zula Patrol," he said.

Bonnie blinked, and paused her game. She looked up at him to make sure that she was hearing this correctly. Compared to his somewhat jovial attitude from earlier, he appeared to be much more professional and impatient.

"Um, okay," she replied, placing her game down on the couch beside her. "What do you need to tell me?"

"For starters, I completely understand that you want to get justice for what happened to your friends. Nothing like that should ever happen to anyone, regardless of what they've done. I also want you to know that you have the team's support in this matter no matter what happens."

"Gee, uh, thanks," she replied. "But I have a feeling that's not all that you've come here to say."

"You catch on fast. As you probably know, the Zula Patrol sticks to a very big notion of nonviolence and tolerance, and there is also the issue of conflicting agendas," Bula replied.

Bonnie looked aghast. "Are you saying that you don't trust me?"

"Well…to be honest, not entirely. You've been a great help to us in learning more about these Dreamscapers. But before I place any trust in you, I want to be sure that you're actually in it to help us, not yourself. The most important thing about working in a team is that you help everyone out. If everyone went on their own personal agendas, chaos would reign, and we would never get our missions done. It may seem to you like I'm scolding you, but trust me when I say I'm only doing this for the benefit of the team."

Bonnie sighed. "So, basically, you don't want me splitting the team up with my own personal decisions, right?"

"Exactly. If we're divided, Paragor can use that opportunity to break us all up and we would never complete our mission," he said.

"I see," Bonnie said, looking mildly unhappy. "Sorry if I don't seem entirely unenthusiastic. I just…thought that you out of all people would trust me. I wouldn't do anything that would get anyone killed…"

"I believe you on that. But in a few days we'll have to leave to meet Paragor. I can't afford to have any mistakes or slipups on this mission. It's a matter between life and death for Multo, Bonnie, and that's far more important that whatever Paragor has in store for me," he said. "Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," Bonnie replied, saluting proudly. "I promise to behave myself."

"Let's hope you follow up on that, Bonnie," Bula replied tiredly. With a small wave, he returned to the elevator.

The moment he left, Bonnie leaned back in the couch, her mind abuzz with all that he had just told her. Currently, she was battling with two sides of her: her rebellious half, and her reasonable half.

Her rebellious half told her that she was really in it just for the sake of avenging her friends, and that she didn't really need Bula's help in getting even with them. Heck, she could do it without him! She didn't need his stupid rules, or his trust.

But then her reasonable side kicked in. She had originally come to offer _them_ help, not stop helping them until she got justice for her friends. That would be asking for too much, and Bula's tone when he'd been talking to her told her that he wasn't up for doing favors. It then occurred to her that he was kind of like Beck in that aspect; whenever he had a million things going on, he would do his best to get everything important done first, and then come to her. At first, she wasn't happy about that, but then she saw that he was really saving himself less stress by nipping the foremost things in the bud.

She also realized that she had been somewhat selfish when she had first shown up, trying to make everyone feel sorry for her and want to help her immediately. The team had gone through quite a lot in the past few weeks, and she had also noticed how stressed Bula had been when he'd come in. Now was not the time to let her personal agenda get in the way. She had sworn that she would help them, and she wasn't about to let them down.

But as she turned back to her game, worries of her friends started to gnaw at her mind persistently.

_What if we fail, and I'll never find out what happened to my friends, especially Beck?_

_What if my personal agenda gets in the way of the mission like Bula fears? _

_What if things go bad between us, and he'll never want to trust me again? If that happens, I'll certainly never get into the Zula Patrol._

_What if everyone starts to hate me?_

For the remainder of the night, Bonnie had much more difficulty with the level than usual.

* * *

><p><strong>"How much longer before the Dreamscape can be unleashed, Ignis?" <strong>Paragor asked, turning to his second. He sat in a large chair, Chikyuu on the floor next to him.

The Legion commander's reply was sharp and to the point. _"It shall be ready in a few days or so, my Master. I expect that we shall summon the professor from his slumber?"_

**"The captain and his team seem to be quite worried for his well-being. Right now, he is currently in a dreamlike state, left in the middle of a white void. He has yet to see the glorious world that will replace his own." **Paragor scratched his chin thoughtfully. **"I suppose you may go and bring him back to the world of the living. But remember what I told you; I want him alive."**

Ignis bowed graciously before him. _"It will be as you say, Master." _As she moved past him and walked towards the portal, she noticed that Chikyuu was sitting rather far away from him. She took a good look at the box, noticing that it gave off a rather odd blue glow, and then at Paragor, noting that he was rather pale.

_"…Master, are you alright?" _she asked, actual concern seeping into her voice. _"You look unwell."_

**"It is merely the effect of using Chikyuu's powers. It does drain your energy as well," **Paragor mentioned.

_"May I ask what you used it for, Master?"_

He turned to her sharply, his pupils dilating suddenly. **"That is not your concern. I used Chikyuu's powers for my own purposes, which you need not know. Now, be quick to fetch the professor. We only have a day left before the captain and the rest of the team arrive."**

_"I apologize, my lord. It won't happen again. I shall make haste, and bring…the professor to you as swiftly as possible." _After giving him a sad filled glance, she turned and strode into the portal before them to carry out her assignment.

Paragor leaned backwards in the chair, closing his eyes as he felt his head begin to pound. For some reason, the artifact had been consuming more of his energy than usual. Before, he would only have slight fatigue, but now, it had progressed to him being utterly drained and on one occasion powerless. If what his father had told him was true, he wouldn't live much longer to see his dream come to pass.

_No…for the sake of my people, I must live. I cannot allow the Legion to go leaderless, or fall into the hands of the enemy. My patience, my time, my hard work…shall not go to waste._

**"I do hope traveling back in time to learn of Ignis' past with Multo was worth it," **Paragor muttered as his eyes slid closed.


	8. D-Day

**Multo returns, yay! Of course, I wasn't about to kill off my number one favorite character in The Zula Patrol. He actually has a very important role in the later part of this story.**

**This chapter is short. However, it contains the long-awaited meeting with Paragor. Will the Zula Patrol make it out of this situation with a deeper understanding of Paragor's intentions? You'll have to see in the next few chapters~**

**Enjoy!**

**God bless, iheartgod175**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 8: D-Day<span>

Two days after Professor Autofocus' visit, Bula found himself pacing his room in the wee hours of the morning. No matter what he tried, he couldn't get himself to go to sleep. With red eyes and an uneasy demeanor, he walked over to his calendar and let out a shaky breath as he saw the date.

January 24th was marked with a big red X, personally put there by Zeeter, and on the bottom it said, 'D-Day'.

Bula hadn't really heard of the term D-Day before until Multo explained that the Earthlings had used it years ago during an event called World War Two. Since then, it had been pretty common to use the term whenever there was an attack about to be launched, or if there was a serious mission they needed to gear up for.

Bula could only hope that Paragor wasn't planning an all-out attack.

The captain walked out of his room, pausing only to scratch Gorga behind the ears. The space puppy was sleeping peacefully, a complete contrast to how his master had been a couple of hours ago. Bula was amazed that the dog could sleep through the cries he'd made that night.

He was just about to step onto the landing platform when he heard another set of footsteps join his. He turned to see Zeeter exit her room and walk to his side. She seemed to be slightly concerned and worried about him.

"Good morning, Zeeter," he said placidly. "Sleep well enough?"

"I should be asking you the same thing. You look like a half drained vampire," she replied curtly. "You sure you can handle this by yourself?"

"To be honest, I can't really say that I am. From the moment I saw him, I knew instantly that he means what he says. Strangely, he's offering us a peaceful relation if we come with him to see this Dreamscape of his," Bula replied.

Zeeter stared at him, eyes wide. "Bula, are you nuts? The guy _stole Multo from us_. And he's threatening to _destroy our planet._ I hardly imagine someone like that is going to be calling for peace."

Bula groaned. "I know. But a deal's a deal. As much as I dislike it, I would much rather prefer you being here with me than being dead in those caves."

Zeeter shut her mouth instantly as she remembered that. "I know. I remember how you reacted when you first saw me. Just…don't do anything stupid."

"I should be telling you the same thing, but I know I don't need to. I already laid down the rules for Bonnie and the kids. It's just a matter of seeing whether they'll follow my instructions."

"Bonnie seems to be rather keen on joining the patrol, so I don't think she'll try anything crazy. And Wizzy and Wigg, young as they are, aren't that naïve," Zeeter replied. "It should be smooth sailing from here on out."

"Let's hope so. I don't want my warnings to be for nothing."

Zeeter rolled her eyes. "You really are a worrywart, Bula."

"Hey, you of all people know it's better to be safe than sorry," he replied.

Just then, the doors to Multo's room slid open, and Bonnie walked out, dressed in what was clearly adventure gear. It consisted of a light blue tank top with brown capris and sneakers. A backpack was slung over her shoulder, and her platinum blonde hair was covered mostly by a baseball cap.

"You look like you're going on a nature hike," Zeeter commented.

"Well, we are going through Mount Zula, after all. It kind of helps to be prepared," Bonnie replied. "I know well enough to never wear stiletto boots when hiking."

A few moments later, Wizzy, Wigg and Gorga emerged from their respective rooms. They all yawned as they slowly came towards the elevator.

"Bula, please tell us that we're going to stop somewhere before we meet up with Paragor," Wizzy moaned, blinking so she could see well. "I didn't really eat anything last night."

"Well, by all means, I understand why you didn't. We did stay up late talking about Paragor. But I do agree that breakfast will have to be on the go today," Bula replied as they made their way down. "Besides, I don't know if we'll have to head to the base ourselves or if one of Paragor's robots will pick us up."

"I hope they don't come here. Those things give me the creeps," Wizzy said, shivering slightly.

"Also, I don't think it would be good to have us next to each other. I don't think they'll take too kindly to me since I destroyed one of their own members," Zeeter added.

"You did it in self-defense, Zeeter."

"Even then, I get that they're the kind of people who don't forgive easily."

When the doors to the kitchen hissed open, they found that they weren't the only ones in the base. Standing in the middle of the kitchen were three of the Legion robots. Each one was colored red, green and blue. It was obvious they were meant to be triplets, as their hair was a bright red, and the eyes that bore into the Zula Patrol's were soulless orbs of lime green. An awkward silence passed as the two opposing parties stared each other down.

"I guess," Bula said finally, "my second theory was right."

_"It seems that they are ready to meet the master himself,"_ the red robot said.

_"Indeed. He has been anticipating their arrival from the very beginning,"_ the blue one replied.

"Hold on a sec. We're not going anywhere with you people until you tell us what you've done with Multo!" Zeeter shouted.

Wizzy and wig also took their stand. "Yeah! Where is he?" they echoed.

The green one on the end held up a clawed hand. _"Good things come to those who wait. You will see your professor as soon as you come with us,"_ she said.

The kids looked ready to say more, but Bula held a hand up to shush them. "Wizzy, Wigg. Let me do the talking here. I understand that you're anxious to see Multo. We all are. But…" He paused as he looked at the Legion robot. "There's business that needs to be done first."

_"Well put, Captain of the Zula Patrol."_ The red robot, who was obviously the leader of the pack, had a hint of slight amusement in her voice. _"My Master will be quite pleased to see you take this leap."_

"Let's hurry up and get this over with," Bonnie growled. "The sooner we get done with you people, the better."

"For once, I agree," Bula replied. "Care to take us to Paragor's location?"

"…Of course." The red robot seemed to be somewhat defeated, as though she had expected a more confrontational attitude from them. She outstretched her hand in a wide arc, and a brilliant flash of red light formed under her feet. In a matter of seconds, the same light came underneath the team, and they looked downwards as the light began to intensify.

There was a long, pregnant pause, and then the red robot said, _"Accelerated Time Warp!"_

The ground beneath them began to rapidly disappear, and with it, their bodies. The roar of the winds drowned out everyone's screams and panicked shouting. Soon, all six members of the Zula Patrol were sucked into the hole were sucked in as one. The portal that sent them through disappeared in an instant, and the only thing that could be heard in the base was silence.

* * *

><p>The first sensation that Multo felt upon waking up was soreness from head to toe. Upon taking a look at himself, he realized immediately that he had taken full force of the explosion that had blown out part of that cave. And yet…he was still alive, though his body ached.<p>

_I should be thankful that I'm not dead or in a coma somewhere. However, I get the feeling that I was kept alive for a reason…as though I'm being used for something._

He looked all around, surprised by his surroundings. The area he was currently in appeared to be a void that had no gravity, with multicolored lights flashing everywhere he looked. Reflecting off into the distance, the radiance of the lights was enough to blind any normal Zulean, but Multo wasn't affected at all. The twinkling of colors soared across this plane of space and time, entrancing the professor for a few moments.

"Fascinating. I've never seen anything like this before," he noted, awestruck by what he was seeing. "When I get home, I must tell the others about th-"

Multo's pupils were reduced to small black dots swimming in a sea of white as he came to the conclusion. How long had he been asleep? And how long had it been since his expedition into the ancient caves? He didn't know for sure. It felt like time had stopped the moment he'd appeared in this crazy void. He was concerned about his friends. What if they had seen the explosion and feared the worst? What if they had assumed that he was dead without even looking for him? What if…

What if _they _had been caught in the remaining blast, and had gotten hurt?

The professor's mind went into overdrive as worst case scenarios started running through his mind. He couldn't believe that he'd been knocked out the entire time while his fellow Patrollers had been suffering unimaginably.

_I've got to get out of here. I don't know how long I've been gone, but it must've been for way too long. I need to get out of here and find the others. I have to tell them what's going on!_

Just when Multo started to think up different ways to escape, a noise resembling a zipper opening filled the air. He turned to see a swirling mass of pink and blue light open up the void in front of him. Before he could move away from the sight, the most peculiar creature he'd ever seen walked stepped out of it.

It was a large robot, resembling a life-size marionette of sorts. Multo could already tell that its gender was meant to be female, if the pink dress and headdress, short blonde hair, and blue eyes were of any indication.

There was one thing that was off to him, though. The robot appeared to be glaring at him with a judgmental, if not outright malicious stare. The bright blue orbs that bore into his own communicated man emotions at once: anger, regret, and something else that he couldn't place at the moment. The robot stood there for a long moment just staring at him, which put the professor on edge.

"W-Who are you?" he asked. It was practically a whisper due to how terrified he was.

_"I am the Second in Command of the Legion, Ignis. And you are instrumental in Master Paragor's plot, for you are the weak spot in the Zula Patrol's armor at the moment,"_ she replied stoically. Her voice was meant to be placid and pleasant, but it took on a rough edge when it was necessary.

Multo gulped. "Where are my friends? Please! You must tell me what's happened to them. I must know that they're alright!"

Ignis' tone was colder than ice. _"You will see them soon enough, Professor," _she spat out, and floated out towards him. Multo gave out a small squeak as she snatched him by his shirt collar, almost tearing it off with the force. _"After that…you will get what's coming to you."_

Multo's eyes widened in horror, and Ignis turned away from him to head into the portal. There was a whoosh of air as they were pulled inside, and the only noise that filled Multo's ears was the rushing of the wind as they headed for their destination…

* * *

><p>When the Zula Patrol opened their eyes once more, they found themselves in a dark, cavernous room. There was absolutely no light that could be seen for miles, until Bula spotted a peculiar blue glow farther down the hall.<p>

And then, yellow flames, followed by blue ones, ignited in five foot tall lamps, giving the team a good glimpse of the room before them. The walls were sandy brown, a symbol that they were made out of aged stone, and were decorated with various hieroglyphs and pictures detailing the Dreamscapers' past. In front of them, a massive army of Legion robots stood at attention, watching the team with their glowing eyes.

At the end of the hallway, there was a large room that looked as though it could hold a lifetime of treasure inside. The door was decorated with the same phoenix symbol that Autofocus had described, and the color on the door brightened, followed by a low rumble as the doors slid open, very slowly. A shaft of light appeared in the doorway, and the entire Legion turned to face the door, kneeling in reverence.

_"Our Master comes," _they all declared, a tone of actual happiness in their voices. Bula felt Zeeter's hand grasp his own as they watched the leader of the Dreamscapers emerge from the door.

Dressed in purple and gold robes that went down to his feet, Paragor was looking much healthier than when Zeeter had seen him last. His skin was back to its normal shade, and he didn't stagger around like he had before. His yellow eyes glowed with malicious intent as he looked at the Zula Patrol.

**"Well. I must say that I am surprised. You really are that loyal to your captain, are you not?"**

"Of course we are," Zeeter replied. "We're his friends, and we're going to stand by him and make sure that you don't try any funny tricks on him like you did to me. So, you'd better get on with what you have to say, Paragor, because we don't have all day."

**"Quite the impatient one, aren't we?" **Paragor chuckled. **"Very well. I shall explain this all to you very soon. But first, I will hold up to my end of the deal, and deliver the professor to you as promised." **He turned to his left. **"Ignis, you may come out now."**

A bright blue and pink portal appeared out of thin air, and a large pink marionette stepped out of it. Her right arm was currently holding a large, unconscious orange alien with three eyestalks. His hiking uniform, orange and red, was torn into pieces, and various bruises covered his skin.

The Zula Patrol gave a collective shout of the alien's name: "MULTO!"

Paragor smirked. **"You don't sound too happy to see him,"** he said.

"What did you do to him?!" Bula yelled, outraged. "You told us he was alive! He looks-"

**"Be at peace, Bula. The alien is only sleeping. He has not perished in the aftermath of the blast that occurred. I made sure of that,"** Paragor replied.

Bula held his ground defensively, as did the other members of the force. While Ignis set Multo down on a small rock table, Paragor fixed his beady eyes on them.

**"So, now that I have shown you that he is indeed alive, may we get on with the tour? I want to show you everything there is to know about the Dreamscape before we bring it to Zula,"** he said.

Bula didn't really care about the Dreamscape or what Paragor was saying. He was relieved to have Multo back, but for how long? How long would they have to wait until they were reunited with their friend?

"Alright…we're ready," he replied, tearing his eyes off of the unconscious professor for a moment.

The leader of the Dreamscapers smiled wickedly. **"I trust that you'll like what you see, Captain Bula."**

With a snap of his fingers, he and the Zula Patrol quickly disappeared into thin air.


	9. Paragor

**Hey, everyone. Sorry I haven't updated in, like, forever. I've kind of had writers' block when it comes to this story. But I have nearly all of the story's outline done, so now I know what's going to happen in the next 40 + chapters. Yes, it's going to be a long story.  
><strong>

**This story will start calling Paragor "Gallant" during his flashbacks, since he was named after his father, Paragal, and was called that in order to differentiate the two. Things are going to get a little dark later in the story, and will explain just why Paragor is the way he is...and also, why his name was changed later...**

**Thanks to everyone who's still reading this!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 9: Paragor<span>

When the collective party opened their eyes, they quickly realized they weren't inside the cave anymore. They were floating inside a massive purple void filled with various blue and yellow stars. A pearlescent, white fog surrounded them as another figure gracefully floated over to them. It didn't take them long to recognize the robes flowing in the wind.

**"Well,"** Paragor noted as he appeared in front of them, "it has been a while since I have used this." His voice was softer than it had ever been before, more on par at a normal volume.

"Alright, cut to the chase, Paragor." Bula was also getting impatient. "What is it that you wanted to share with me about the Dreamscape?"

"All will be explained in time, Captain. But before I get into the details of why this is necessary, I must first explain why we have waited until now to come back from thousands of years of slumber."

"In other words, you're going to tell us a really long story, right?" Zeeter asked.

"Precisely. But I believe I will bore you by simply talking, so I will let you see just what I am talking about by using what we call a mental space," Paragor explained. "What you deem to be extreme will be made clear to you in a moment. Most of the questions that you have will be answered, such as the crest on the door that appeared when Multo and the other professor found us, or how Chikyuu is the way it is, and why the Legion looks like humanoids."

With a wave of his hand, the entire scene shifted, brightening until it became almost blinding for the Zula Patrol. The team covered their eyes until the lights passed. When they uncovered them, they found themselves standing in the midst of a great ancient city that seemed to literally tower into the sky. The team stared at the building in utter awe.

Wizzy snapped the group out of their daze with a simple question. "Where's Paragor?"

"I am right here, Wizzy of the Zula Patrol." And suddenly Paragor appeared before them, looking forlorn as though he were missing the city in front of them. "It has been so long since I have seen this place…it looks exactly how I remembered it."

The Dreamscaper turned towards them, his expression very grave. "I am now going to tell you my story," he began, his voice actually gentle for once. "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…"

* * *

><p>A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away from Zula, there was a city called Tenochtitlan.<p>

The city was home to a vast population of aliens called the Iskeks, which in their native tongue means 'dream seekers'. They consisted of three tribes: the Fair Folk who used their magic to bring life to their town, the nimble Fleeters who controlled the weather, and the bird-like Raptors, who held the important position of leading the Iskeks to conquest. The tribes did not get along, and civil wars broke out just as often as calls for peace.

That all changed, however, with the arrival of a man named Iscariot. Cruel, unmerciful and the very epitome of chaos itself, he threw the entire city of Tenochtitlan into utter disarray. To him, the Iskeks were nothing more than mere playthings, and were to be discarded as soon as they were broken. Nobody was able to counter this man, and as such, the Iskeks suffered greatly.

At last, when the suffering became too great to bear, the Iskeks as one fell to their faces and cried out to their God for help.

"If there be a speck of hope left for us," they cried out, "send him to us. Send us a king who will destroy the enemy and bring peace for us all!"

God answered their prayer to the letter. A few days later, with half the population destroyed from Iscariot's forces, a lone Raptor wearing flowing purple and white robes walked from the raging inferno, a powerful staff in his hands. His skin was sandy and his beak was dark as ebony. Pure blue orbs peeped out from his bushy eyebrows, and his face was set into a hard expression as he glared down at Iscariot like a vengeful god.

Iscariot callously challenged the man to a duel, but the fight was over before it even began. With one word, the mysterious man struck the tyrant dead with a bolt of lightning. His body melted into a puddle of ash and was blown away by the wind.

The Iskeks, their leaders having fallen or slain by Iscariot's madness, fell as one and begged for him to protect them. And he did.

The man became known as Paragal, which meant 'the bringer of light' in their native tongue. Stalwart and brave, he repaired the destroyed city and ruled the people with a generous hand. Soon, he came to take a wife named Keturah, and the two had a son named after his father as well. Many people expected the son of their savior to be a great king like his father.

Alas, though, it was not to be, for all was not well between father and son…

* * *

><p>His father was smiling. That was never a good sign, at least in Gallant's eyes.<p>

Gallant watched in utter horror as his father tore apart the precious project that he'd spent months working on. The delicate bindings that he'd used to keep the box's magic in place melted into the floor, letting out a hissing noise as it did so.

All of that hard work, all of that hoping to please his father even _once…_it was all for nothing.

In all honesty, he shouldn't have been surprised, as his father never once cared about what he thought, or what he made, or what he had to say. His father cared about only himself, and didn't make a secret out of it, either.

That didn't make lessen his suffering, however.

"And you thought this would impress me, Gallant?" his father hissed. He scoffed before tossing away the magical sphere that was used to hold the gift together. "Your mother insisted on naming you after me. Yet, I would have gladly named a statue after me! You disappoint me, _son_, and you of all people should know that you never have, and you never will, earn my respect."

Gallant shivered in front of his father, looking up at him with wide, fearful eyes. "B-B-But…I…I…"

His father inhaled deeply, and let out a roar that blew the young prince backwards tens of feet. Gallant screamed as he was flung into the wall behind him. His father straightened up from the effort, and glared at his son who was currently shivering by the wall. With a sniff, he turned around and strode out the room.

"FATHER!" Gallant yelled, his voice cracking due the tears forming in his eyes.

"Come back to me…when you do something worthy of the family name," his father bellowed. He stopped one moment to crush the magical sphere under his feet, causing the light of the room to get sucked out. Without another word or even glancing back, he walked away, leaving Gallant alone in the dark.

Discouraged and heartbroken, the prince buried his head into his arms and let the tears fall from his eyes.

"One day, Father. One day, I _will _earn your respect, no matter what it takes to get it," he said aloud, not caring who heard it. "No matter what it takes…"

* * *

><p>Gallant's chambers were dark and quiet, a far cry from his father's brightly lit rooms. Indigo and velvet draperies hung from the highly arched windows, enclosing the whole room in pitch black darkness. Shelves lined the bare corners of the room, each one bursting with books. Diagrams of constellations, planets and various experiments decorated the walls. Unfinished papers were hurled all over the room, and Gallant trudged his way through the mess to his large bed, where he collapsed into it. He felt the cool velvet melt into his body, and let out an exasperated, sad sigh.<p>

His room was dark, just the way he liked it. The first sign that the son wouldn't be like his father was that he had an unnatural interest in darkness. The reason for his pale skin was mostly because of his father's complexion, but the other reason was that he never went out in the sun for long. It was as though he had developed an illness to the sun. That was one of the many reasons that his father hated him.

No, that wasn't right. His father probably looked upon him poorly. Yes, that was it. He didn't hate him. He refused to believe it. His father was Paragal the Wise, the loving, generous and kind ruler of Tenochtitlan that saved everyone from Iscariot's chaotic reign. He loved everybody, though he did look poorly upon people from time to time.

Gallant suspected the reason his father didn't favor him because his mother died when he was young. Gallant l could understand that. Losing the love of your life would soften even the hardest of hearts.

Gallant got up from the bed, and walked over to desk. Withdrawing a match, he swept it across the bare surface of the table, an action that sparked a flame on it. He lit the four candles that sat on his desk and blew out the match before sitting at the desk.

"What can I do to prove to finally earn Father's love and respect?" he offered. "I have tried every possible thing, and nothing has impressed him. I need something new, something that he's never even heard of before…"

As his blue eyes scanned the shelves of his bookcase, one of the titles caught his eye: _The Legend of the Dark One_. Curiosity peaked; he pulled the book off of the shelf and opened it. Realizing that it was dusty, he blew off the thick layer of dust that surrounded the pages.

_"The Dark One is Paragal's ancient enemy from the days of old, before he came to power in Tenochtitlan. During his days as the prince of another faraway kingdom, the Dark One came and enslaved the people, forcing them to fight his battles. Paragal fought bravely against the Dark One, but he was no match for him. The last gruesome battle between Paragal and the Dark One nearly ended in disaster, as the Crown Emperor nearly died in the aftermath of the fight."_

Gallant's eyes widened. "What? Father actually had an opponent that he couldn't destroy?" All his life, his father had bragged about his achievements and various conquests over all of his enemies…but he'd never, ever mentioned the Dark One. Gallant knew his father could be prideful about his victories, and would become a sore loser if he lost a battle.

_That must be the reason why he never mentioned the Dark One...it's because he's still sore about the battle that nearly cost him his life._

Gallant continued to read the book. _"Legend states that the Dark One can be controlled by wielding one of the most powerful items of all time: Chikyuu, also known as the Chest of Magic. Whoever wields this can control the Dark One, but whoever uses it to kill the Dark One will become evil in the process."_

Gallant put the book down, staring at it in utter shock. This book had the key to the Dark One's defeat, and his father didn't even know it was here. After sitting there for a few moments in surprise, Gallant threw the book aside and started writing.

"A most wonderful idea arises in my heart! Truly, this should earn the respect of my father!"

* * *

><p>"You wish to find the Chest of Magic, milord?"<p>

The young prince, as usual in his 'workaholic zone', didn't answer as he frantically hung up diagrams of blue colored runic symbols and a large brown box with the similar markings. The manservant behind him, an elderly vulture named Igor, sighed, his sunken yellow eyes showing his mild disdain at the whole situation.

He had learned from experience that whenever the Crown Prince and the king got into it, which was nearly every day, it was best to leave both of them alone for a while. If there was one thing that Gallant had inherited from his father, it was his tempestuousness. The Prince would become very violent on occasions and disturbingly morbid on others, threatening to kill someone for the slightest of offenses. After a day or two, Igor would check on the prince, and then the king. It was an annoying habit, but he'd gotten used to it.

When Gallant didn't arrive for dinner that day, his father demanded to know where he was, and Igor rushed to find him. What he'd expected was to find the prince moping about. What he didn't expect was for a library to explode in the room, or to find so many diagrams about Chikyuu. He was a skilled magician himself, but Gallant had studied under the prestigious Master Rafi, who had taught Paragal the Wise his magic.

It was something that made Igor very envious of both.

"Aye! Igor, think of the wonderful things that could happen should I get the chest!" Gallant implored to his manservant. Igor sighed.

"Perish the thought, milord," he said, his deep voice booming through the room. "I cannot stand the thought of you possibly being disappointed."

"But, Igor," Gallant pleaded, "surely you care for my happiness."

The elderly vulture sighed again, though it was one with resignation. "I wouldn't wish for nothing less, milord."

"I know you would not. You have been there for me when I had nowhere else to turn. You are truly the grandfather I never had," Gallant said.

Igor shook his head vehemently, though the joy in his face couldn't be missed. "Oh, I wouldn't go that far to say that, milord. I am no saint," he said.

"I would have liked to know who he was," Gallant said further. "He must have been a wonderful man."

Igor winced, but he didn't vocalize his thoughts on the father of the king. "Milord, may I ask this one question?"

"What is it?"

"Do…do you think that the king appreciates your efforts in trying to defeat his sworn enemy?" he asked.

"I don't believe that it is your place to ask that, Igor," he said. "Only I get to decide that."

"Of course it is not my place to ask such things, sir. I would like to know your intent, however," he said.

"Have I not made it clear enough? Or have you been so wrapped up in your duties that you have forgotten?" Gallant's tone was hot. "Heed me. I seek to destroy the one thing that nearly destroyed my father, and with that, I hope to end his bitterness and win his respect! Would you deny me such a thing?"

"The idea is grand, milord," Igor started, "however, I believe you are going about it the wrong way."

"Ah, I see." Gallant's tone went from hot with passion to stiff with irritation. "And there is the crux of the matter. You will not allow me to decide for myself the way I should go about this."

"What I am saying, milord, is that going about this using magic that founded the world would prove disastrous. I am only trying to save you from the worst possible death." Igor's eyes narrowed slightly in concern. "The fight with your father…was that what inspired you to go and look up Chikyuu?"

The prince didn't answer, and Igor shook his head in frustration. "Surely, you of all people recognize the difference between a noble cause and hopeless one, milord."

"I see. And you would deny me even this chance to prove myself."

Igor sighed. Another one of the prince's bad virtues was his selfishness. He would often whine or constantly gripe when denied the chance to do something, practically forcing his servants into giving into his whims. Igor had been given the reins to crack down on him a few times, and mostly talked the prince into thinking the situation through before acting on impulse.

At the same time, though, he couldn't help but feel bad for the prince. He was so desperate for his father's love, he would do anything to get it. Igor wanted to tell Gallant to give it up, but against his better judgment, he also believed that the king needed to pay attention to his son.

_Perhaps I should let Gallant have this one. After all, Chikyuu is the most powerful magical artifact in the universe, and it isn't called the Chest of Magic for nothing. What harm would this do?_

"…Perhaps the king would appreciate it," the manservant said.

Igor smiled as the prince turned around to face him, eyes wide. "Y-You are serious, right?"

"I must alert the other members of the Royal Guard that we will be gone. Surely the king wouldn't object to you going on a trip," Igor continued.

"Does this mean having to warn that awful Beldor?" Gallant made a face. "I cannot stand the sight of him."

"Neither can I, milord," Igor said, his beak curled up with disgust. "I live to see that traitor get what he deserves."

"Perhaps I can vaporize him with Chikyuu's magic when I return with it," Gallant said, his beak curled up into a wicked smile.

"Oh, perish the thought, milord!"

Igor was soon caught off guard when the prince ran up to him and hugged him, bending down so he could properly embrace the servant. "Oh, thank you, Igor! I thank thee with all my heart!"

Igor chuckled. "I am happy to be of assistance, milord."

The two were interrupted when the doors suddenly slammed shut behind them. Gallant looked up, startled. "What was that?"

"'Tis only the wind, milord," he said. "Now come along and get your things. We have a long journey, and I wish for you to pack well on this journey."

* * *

><p>Bula stared at the memory of Gallant, and then looked at Paragor, who watched the memory in front of him with wistful eyes. The differences between the two were like night and day. He never would have suspected that Paragor had once been a person vying for love, or at least some degree of respect, from anybody. The captain watched as Gallant and Igor, with their bags packed, left to start their mission.<p>

"Paragor, what does this have to do with anything?" Bonnie asked.

Paragor turned towards her, one of his eyebrows sharply arched. "This part of the story explains how I learned of Chikyuu. In the old language, it actually means earth, as it was made out of natural substances. But later, after I got ahold of it, I reworked the magic of the system to use time energy instead of using ultimate power."

"Why would you do something like that?" Bula asked.

"To protect myself, Captain Bula," Paragor said sharply. "Should one of my subordinates take control of Chikyuu while it still recognizes me as master, the artifact is designed to suck out their very lives and convert them into energy."

"That's…gruesome, don't you think?" Zeeter asked.

"Only the worst punishment for those who defy me," Paragor said. "I find it quite fitting, actually."

"Getting back to the point," Bonnie interrupted, "what happened after you wrote up the plans to get control of Chikyuu?"

The smile dropped from Paragor's face. He turned around and closed his eyes as the fog rolled in, turning the room grey and green. He licked his beak slightly and sighed.

"What happened next," he whispered, "is where things got worse."

* * *

><p>Igor didn't know why Gallant bothered trying to get respect from a man like his father. To him, it seemed, it was pretty much a lost cause. Igor had spent a lifetime under the man, and never once had he received an ounce of respect from him. The servant personally thought that the king was a pompous, selfish braggart, and the only reason he got the role of king in the first place was because he was loved by all the people.<p>

If only he could expose the king's real behavior to his young master, or to anyone else for that matter…

"Ah, Igor! This is the place!" Gallant's enthusiastic cry of joy startled him out of his thoughts. Igor hobbled along on his cane, wincing as his knees ached from the strain.

"What is it now, young Gallant?" he asked.

"This is the home of the Dark One, Igor. Can't you see it?" Gallant cried out, point out the large, decorative castle with various banners of green and black hanging over the walls. In the highest spires of the castle, green fire lit the windows.

"Do you think this tactic will work?" Igor asked.

"Yes. I am quite certain. If I can get ahold of the Chikyuu, I can use it to take control of the Dark One," Gallant explained.

"That is, if the legends are true, sire," the servant argued.

"Do not be a coward, Igor. I would gladly give up my own soul to please my father, to finally get the coveted respect and love I have yearned for since I was a boy," Gallant said. "And I believe that destroying the Dark One will be what will finally earn the respect of my father."

"To be honest, sire, I say it's not worth it," he said. "A most unsettling feeling arises in my heart for your safety."

"Igor, there is no need to worry. If this goes according to plan, I will make it out of the sacred holding place unharmed," Gallant noted. Opening up the pouch that held his sacred dagger, he crept over to the side walls of the castle, doing his best to step over any loose branches that sat in his way.

His breath was nearly caught in his throat as he watched several guards leave the castle, talking among themselves. Igor quickly stepped out of the picture, jumping behind some overgrowth. The noise, however, ended up attracting the attention of the guards anyway.

"Hey! Come out from there, whoever you are! We know you're there!" the guard yelled. Withdrawing his sword, he and the other guard ran towards the bushes. Igor stumbled out as fast as he could, not taking a single glance back so as to not reveal his master standing there.

His heart in his throat, Gallant ran into the castle as fast as he could, mentally going through the layout of the castle. Chikyuu was held in the highest spires of the castle from what he'd been told, which was on the left side of the castle. After stopping to hear for more footsteps, he made a left and ran through the halls, his feet making soft padding noises as he did.

As he neared the steps, a feeling of utter dread came up in his heart, almost causing him to stop cold. What if Igor was right? What if…what if the legend turned out to be just that? A legend?

Gallant was so lost in his own thought that he didn't hear the massive footsteps coming up behind him. When he finally did turn around, a hurled spear came to greet him. With the lightning fast reflexes he'd inherited from his father, he dropped to the floor in a split. The spear crashed into the wall behind him with a thud.

Panting from the exertion, Gallant got a good look at the one who had nearly killed him. The man was clearly one of the king's top men, a captain of the royal guard. He was large and had huge bulging muscles, with armor plating covering his massive arms, chest and legs. He wore a tan shirt, and a loincloth that appeared to be made of animal skins. The expression on his face was hard and serious.

"Beldor," Gallant spat, the name rolling off of his tongue with enough venom to kill several men.

The captain scoffed. "You don't sound too happy to see me, Crown Prince," he said.

"I am never happy to see you. Were…were you following me?" Paragal asked.

Beldor didn't give an answer, but merely whipped out another spear, and hurled it at Gallant. Once again, the young prince ducked the incoming attack. He heard footsteps behind him, then a thud and a guttural grunt as the spear hit a guard. Gallant turned around in time to see the guard fall to the floor, a spear embedded in his chest. He then turned to Beldor, a look of horror on his face.

"You…you're here to kill me, aren't you?" he asked. "Did Father send you?"

"No. I am doing this on my behalf. You will not, under any circumstances, attempt to take control of Chikyuu," Beldor said. "I will be the one to claim its power for my own."

"And why? Why would you attempt to do such a thing?!" Gallant rose to his feet, expression angry. "That is the only chance I have of gaining respect from my father."

Beldor laughed. "You really are naïve, Prince Gall. Even I, the fiercest of the king's captains, do not receive such respect from the king," he retorted. "What makes you possibly believe that he would give it to you?"

Gallant's eyes widened in horror. "T-That is not true! You lie! I refuse to believe you!"

"Oh? Then how about I elaborate on the subject, young Gall," the captain sneered. "Ever since you were a boy, in fact, from the very moment you were born…your father hated you."

Gallant felt as though the world was going to collapse in on him. His right arm started shaking, a thing he did when he was scared. He quickly grasped it to stop it, but the tremors spread through his body. His blue eyes were small dots in a sea of white.

"F-Father hated me…ever since I was born?" he stammered out.

"Correct. He saw you as incompetent, a weakling, a fool. Which you are, by the way," Beldor continued. "The fact that he was the national hero to everyone in Tenochtitlan is proof that he loved fame and fortune more than his own family."

"B-But he loved my mother! If it weren't for her-"

"Oh, that? She only married him because everyone expected her to produce an heir, a successor who would carry his father's namesake when he would eventually pass. But then she found out that your dear father had a severe superiority complex, and because of his position, was incredibly selfish. He looked upon her as though she were a worm, but he kept her around to be his little…how shall I say it? Oh, right. _Pet."_

_He's lying to me. Mother loved Father even though he could be quite demanding at times. But…she always seemed so sad when she saw him mistreating the guards or the servants…is this the reason?_

"In fact, your father is the reason she died. Because of his greed, his selfishness, and his entitlement complex, he wanted no one else to share the empire he'd built with him. He only kept you around because your mother refused to let a small infant die. But as for her and the other baby…he had no qualms of doing that," Beldor continued.

Gallant stared at the captain in horror. "W-What do you mean, my mother and the other baby?!" he shrieked. "My mother was killed by a horrific fall from the terrace roof. Father grieved for her for days!"

"That's the sugared version, Gallant," Beldor replied. "You deserve to know that your father is nothing more than a monster. He killed her. He killed your mother…and the little brother you more than likely would have had."

Gallant felt as though he couldn't breathe. His body convulsed in fear as though he were having a seizure, and his breath came out in short pants. "N-No…Mother told me that she'd been feeling strange, but…"

"She was pregnant, Gallant, with what would have been your little brother. I warned her against it, but she insisted on telling that monster you call father. He became enraged, telling her that he regretted ever marrying her, and how he hated you and her. She responded by saying she was going to run away for good, and that she would never allow her son to live with such a horrible man. He grabbed her, and they had a fight on the terrace…and the railing collapsed, sending her tumbling to her death."

"NO!" Gallant screamed, his hands clutching his head. "It's not true! Father would never do something like that! He…h-he loved her!"

"He never loved her. _I _loved her. We were close, but the king insisted on keeping her for himself. I gave up my feelings for her a long time ago, knowing that the price for adultery was death…but when I saw her fall from the sky, I…I wish I could have killed that savage years ago. She deserved better than him," he said.

Gallant sank to his knees, sobbing. His head throbbed and his chest ached with his sobs. It was too much. The fact that his father was far from the idealized hero that he was for years was too much for him to handle. In front of him, he heard Beldor scoff.

"Well, what say ye, Crown Prince Paragal the Second?" the captain said mockingly, bowing before him. "What are you going to do with this information now? Tell it to the Dark One and let him kill your precious father?"

Gallant stopped shaking for a long moment, his sobs slowly reduced to choked gasps. He wiped the last few tears that fell from his large eyes, and pulled himself up from the floor. He looked into the captain's face, which was twisted into a cruel sneer.

"Well, I asked you a question, Crown Prince. What are you going to do now?" Beldor repeated.

"What I am going to do," the Crown Prince whispered harshly, "is that I'm going to kill you."

Beldor had no time to react, as the dagger that Gallant brought was out and flying directly at him. There was a sickening thud and a guttural moan escaped Beldor's lips as the dagger embedded itself into his chest, sending him to his knees. The captain gasped out for air as the Crown Prince walked over to him. His blue eyes were contorted with rage.

"G-Gallant…you fool…" the captain whispered hoarsely.

"How dare you call me a fool? You are the one spouting out all these lies about my father. You are the one who has demonized me ever since I was a boy. And yet here you are, telling me more lies about my father. Many have wished to kill you, Captain Beldor. I even wished to at one point, but I decided to give you another chance. This time…" Gallant's eyes were hard. "You deserve no mercy."

Beldor made a move to say something, but only a choked gasp came out of his mouth. He collapsed on the floor, and Gallant turned away from the sight to head up the flight of stairs to find Chikyuu.

_The legends state that Chikyuu should be right up the flight of stairs, and then left, towards the Mirror Gate. I should be able to find the artifact and get out of here alive. A captain alone I can handle, but not an entire army. _

Gallant carefully treaded the spiraling staircase, being careful to not make as much noise as possible. The torches that lit the hallway cast a smoky orange hue on the steps, making everything appear murky to the young prince. His steps became even more cautious and slow when one of the stone stairs broke, and it cascaded downwards towards the foundations of the castle. Gallant listened until there was, at last, a very loud crash at the bottom.

After pausing to make sure that none of the army heard, he continued his way up, quickening his pace until he reached the top. Even now he could feel the power of Chikyuu. His skin trembled as he face to face with a large room.

The doors were wide open, as though someone had prepared for his arrival. The room was dark, save for a mysterious blue light in the center. Upon closer inspection, he saw that there was a large brown box sitting on a podium, the light emerging from it like smoke. Gallant's breath hitched in his throat as he saw it.

"Chikyuu, the Chest of Magic," he whispered, and cautiously stepped forward to make sure that his eyes weren't mistaking him this time around. When he was at least a few feet away from the box, the power seeping into his blood was almost too much for him to bear, and he sunk to his knees. He let out a soft gasp of elation as he raised a hand to touch it.

_No doubt about it. That's really it. With this…I will finally win my father's love!_

When his three-fingered hand touched the chest, the box dimmed, and then the light exploded outwards in a wave of power. Gallant was thrown backwards, and stifled a scream as he hit the wall. The light formed a small pillar in the center of the room, illuminating everything with blinding light.

_"I am Chikyuu, the Chest of Magic. Before Erion was, I was. What is your wish?" _the box boomed.

Gallant stared at the box, watching as its tendrils of magic swirled upwards. He opened his beak and closed it just as fast. How was he supposed to say something to this artifact, which was pretty much like a god?

_"Speak, worm, or forever hold your peace!" _the box boomed again, its tone irritable.

That got Gallant to snap out of his thoughts. He stood up, cleared his throat and said with a clear voice, "I assure you, Chikyuu, that I am no lowlife worm. I am a prince. And I am seeking to use your power for a purpose."

_"What purpose may that be?"_

"I seek to obtain your power for the purpose of destroying the Dark One," Paragal said.

There was a pause, and then Chikyuu said, _"Are you mad? You cannot possibly destroy the Dark One by using my power. There is a consequence if you do. Have you not read the legends?"_

"Yes, I have," he said. "I know of the consequences. You see, my father, Paragal the Wise-"

_"Paragal the Wise? Of course. I should have known who you were the moment you said that you were a prince. That old fool is nothing more than a monstrous murderer," _the artifact said.

Gallant's yellow pupils contracted with rage. "You speak slander against my father also?!"

_"Even an artifact knows who he is. They call him the Mad King for a reason. Your blindness to his atrocities is admirable, considering all the things he did to everyone in Tenochtitlan. But it is also foolish. He will keep you down in an abusive relationship," _Chikyuu said. Its voice was disturbingly calm.

"Not after I slay the Dark One with your power. Father was able to seal him away, but you…" Gallant's eyes gleamed with hope as he looked at the artifact. "You have the power to _kill_ him."

_"Are you not listening to me again? You must realize that you will become the very thing you seek to destroy! The Dark One has the ability to bend everything at his will," _Chikyuu said. _"If you don't stop this nonsense-"_

"This 'nonsense' that you so speak of," Gallant interrupted his voice low, "is the only way I will ever have a chance of truly reconciling with my father. I know there is good in him. There _has _to be. He would not have been king if he were not."

The artifact seemed to pause in thought for a moment. After a moment, it said, _"Young Paragal, I believe you are making a grave error in judgment. The king is beyond saving. The moment you kill the Dark One, your first instinct will be to kill him. I can guarantee that."_

"Why are you telling me this? Are you trying to stop me?"

_"Yes. I may not be able to feel emotions, but I can sense others'. I know for certain that there is resentment and anger in your heart. Underneath that mask of politeness and love is an aching and resentful heart. Using my powers will only amplify your emotions. Your anger, stubbornness and selfish attitude will consume you until it drives you insane."_

"I do not care. I see this as they only way that I can succeed," Gallant said. "If my desire to be loved and respected, and not be looked down upon as the 'king's son', drives me insane, then so be it. I will do whatever it takes for love."

The light around Chikyuu started to ripple, as though it was sighing. Finally, it said, _"So be it. Since you refuse to heed my warnings, you will now pay the price."_

"Hurry, and start the contract," Gallant said.

_"I must say, you are an impatient one." _The pillar of light rippled briefly before turning a bright yellow. _"Paragal the Second, son of Paragal the First and the current heir to the throne, it is my great…pleasure to formally establish this contract with you. Do I have your word that you will not misuse my powers or attempt to rewrite the laws upon which I was created?"_

"Yes, you do," Gallant said, his voice held with respect.

_"And do you swear that the moment you complete your task, that you must relinquish my powers and give me the chance to help others?"_

Gallant's breath hitched. "I-I'm afraid I misunderstood that," he said.

_"Another part of the contract is for the holder to release my powers as soon as they have completed their task. Have you noticed that there is not one person who holds _all _of my power?"_

Gallant muttered a curse under his breath. "I should have figured that," he said.

_"What was that, Prince?"_

"Oh, nothing. T-Thank you for clarifying that for me, Chikyuu," the prince said, his back straighter. "I will do my best to uphold my word."

_"…For your sake, Paragal, I hope so." _Chikyuu's tone left no room for argument. _"It appears that you understand well enough. We must begin the power transfer at once."_

Gallant had no time to speak, for at that moment, Chikyuu's magic shot out at him in a concentrated beam of bright blue light. He stifled a scream, letting out the smallest of squeaks as the energy hit him, rendering his body cold. The light swirled around him, and blue rune-like markings ran up and down his body. His yellow eyes went blue as the power transfusion took hold.

In his minds' eye, he saw himself floating in an endless void, the universe laid before him like a map. His mouth dropped open slightly at this, viewing the planets with awe and reverence. As he saw various events unfurl before his eyes, his beak curled into a hungry-like grin.

_This is amazing. I can see the entire universe, and everything is at my fingertips. It's all mine to command! To control! I am no longer a god. I am what the gods pray to!_

Just when he felt a buzz start from the back of his head and creep to his forehead, the sensation was over as soon as it started. The universe, and everything regarding the planets, vanished in a wave of smoke. The next thing he knew, he was on the ground in a dark room, save for Chikyuu glowing softly in the center.

"I…I may have allowed the sensation to get to my head for a moment," he muttered, rubbing his head.

Chikyuu didn't answer, but that was when the prince heard footsteps pounding up the stairs. "He broke in through here!" someone yelled, and Gallant's breath hitched in his throat. He knew what that meant. He hurriedly sprung to his feet and made to run to the other side of the room , where it was the darkest, but that was when the guards ran in. Three of them held large battleaxes decorated with yellow magic.

"Paragal the Second! What have you done?!" The guard took note of the Crown Prince's appearance, and his eyes widened. Gallant looked down at himself, and gasped as he looked at the blue markings on his skin. They were all over his arms and fingers, and he could tell they were all over his face as he saw they ran down the base of his neck.

The guard charged for Gallant, his mouth ripped open in a war cry. Paragal was about to scream in fear, but Chikyuu's voice came out of his throat instead.

_"You dare to challenge _me_?" _The voice that came from the prince was enough to stop the guards dead in their tracks. It sounded heavily distorted, as though he were talking with a mouth full of water. Gallant was soon off of the floor and flying in midair, his yellow eyes a glowing blue and the rune-like markings on his skin glowing intensely. _"You fools have no idea of what you are dealing with. I am Chikyuu, the legendary Chest of Magic. I created your world…and I can destroy it with the snap of my Contractor's fingers. I gave you life, and I can take it away!"_

Gallant raised his hand, pointing a clawed finger at the guards and a sphere of blue and black light formed at the end of it. The guards dropped their weapons and ran, but Gallant shot the sphere before they had even made it to the door. The room burst into blue and black fire as it consumed the guards, their screams filling the air as they were destroyed. After a few seconds, the screams quieted, and the fire died down.

_"The fools. They cannot possibly hope to destroy me," _Chikyuu-as-Gallant spoke. _"But that is of no concern. We must depart, should we risk destroying this entire castle."_

With that, the Crown Prince took off, blasting a hole through the walls of the room in a burst of blue and black fire. Behind him, more guards burst into the room, having heard the screams from below, and let loose their arrows. Gallant turned around, his eyes glowing solid blue.

_"Thunder Rage,"_ he intoned, his voice wrathful.

There was a moment of silence as the guards struggled to figure out what the Crown Prince was saying. A split second later, a streak of blue and black lightning shot through the castle, followed by five lightning bolts the size of skyscrapers. The guards screamed and ran, but by then it was too late. The castle was collapsing, and debris, pillars, and guards exploded outwards in a cloud of smoke. Paragal took off, flying downwards towards the country, a few miles from the castle. Behind him, there was a thunderous explosion as the rest of the spell did its job, destroying the ancient castle and everything in it.

The moment he hit the ground, Gallant's vision went back to normal, and he shook his head as though he were confused. He looked to see the rune-like markings start to dim, gradually disappearing until it turned into his regular skin color. He heard the rumble of thunder and the crashes of stone upon stone. He turned around, only to see that the castle that he'd been in not only a few moments ago was now a heap of rubble.

After taking a moment to make sure that he wasn't imagining things, he muttered aloud, "What was that?"

_"That, Crown Prince, was a demonstration of how I use my power," _Chikyuu's voice was clear, as though it were talking to him.

Gallant looked around, completely startled at the voice that had appeared out of nowhere. "W-Where are you?"

_"On your wrist, Crown Prince," _the artifact said plainly, as though it were obvious. Gallant looked on his right hand to see a bracelet on his wrist. It was made of brown stone and bright blue gemstones, with golden rings in between the stone and the gem. The rune-like symbols decorated the ancient stone. _"I took the liberty of transforming into a more compact form for easy travel."_

Angrily, Gallant lifted up the artifact to face him. He didn't like being used like that. "I never gave you the command to do such a thing! More importantly, I never expected you to connect directly with my mind like that!"

_"That is my skill, Crown Prince: to connect with the Contractor, and to help them use the true extent of my power. You wished to escape from the guards. I provided you with the means to do just that."_

"I did not wish for the entire castle to be destroyed!"

_"Regardless of what has happened," _Chikyuu said, _"what matters now is that you no longer have any opposition. Those guards would have killed you had I not intervened."_

Gallant suppressed the urge to glare at the artifact. "I will remember that, thank you," he said. "Now, we need to get going. The Dark One is somewhere around here."

_"I am warning you, Paragal, that using my power to destroy the Dark One will make things worse."_

"I need to destroy him. The sooner I do, the sooner I can gain my father's respect," Gallant said.

_"Para-"_

"Remember, Chikyuu, that **I **am your master now, and as such, you are to do what **I **tell you to do," the prince snapped. "I believe I have made myself clear?"

For the second time that day, the artifact was silent. Then it said, _"As you wish…Contractor."_

"Good." Gallant's beak curled into a smile as he started walking. "Come along. I must find Igor and tell him the good news."

* * *

><p>"Okay, I'm a little confused here. How is this where everything starts to go wrong?" Zeeter asked. "I get the part with you getting Chikyuu and whatnot, but I'm stumped on the 'everything went straight to the pits' part."<p>

Paragor sighed. "You really are impatient, are you not?" he muttered. He glanced at the memory, his eyes bearing sadness and threatening to spill tears down his face. "Things went wrong the moment I swore to that contract. I did originally mean everything in that contract. I was only going to use it to impress my father, and then give it back. But I was so stupid...so stupid..."

"I think we can tell," Bonnie said.

"Bonnie," Bula hissed, his voice carrying a warning tone in it.

"No, she has the right to say what she thinks," Paragor replied. "I was, in my youth, a naively stupid boy. I believed that my father was God's gift to the universe. Well, everyone believed this at the time, but no one more so than I. My father literally hammered it into me until I learned to recite those stories by heart. I suppose...it was due to my upbringing that I came to view my father as a saint. Oh, how I wish I had known the truth sooner!"

"Paragor, um, you look kinda-" Wigg started.

"Wigg, not now," Wizzy said, watching as Paragor walked over to the memory of his past self. His eyes were heavy and sad, tears evident in them.

"You prideful, selfish, naive fool," Paragor said. "Was his love really that important to you? Was that stupid, _useless _emotion worth all the suffering and pain that you had to take at his hands? Did the abuse warp your mind so terribly that you came to believe that your father hurt you because he loved you? Or were you so stubbornly confident that you could earn his respect, that you went and did the most dangerous, careless thing you could have ever done? So much pain could have been avoided," he finished, "if you had just _listened to them._"

"Paragor..." Bula honestly didn't know what to say as the Raptor stiffly raised an arm and waved his hand, causing the scene to transition quickly. The next thing they knew, the scene transitioned to a large party on the palace. Raptors, Fleeters and Fair Folk were gathered on the premises, dressed in rich clothes and conversing and mingling.

"What's going on here?" Wizzy asked.

"This party," Paragor began, his voice easier, "took place a few weeks after I became the holder of Chikyuu's power. I studied and practiced the magic in secret, and found that it was easy to master. Summoning, though, turned out to be my best and oft-used spell. I could summon just about anything. But I had to learn a very powerful technique in order to summon the Dark One."

"Quick question: did your father ever find out about Beldor?" Wizzy asked. "I mean, he had to, since you killed one of his most trusted generals."

Paragor chuckled darkly. "Naturally, I told him of what happened to the man. I was spared punishment in exchange for...certain favors."

"Certain fa-"

"It would be wise," Paragor interrupted, "to not ask, Wizzy."

"Oh...s-sorry."

"Then again, it was not as though everyone missed him. He was a terrible man, forcing me to do worse than what my father made me do. It was probably a good thing that I had never learned of Chikyuu earlier, for I would have surely used its power to kill him," Paragor mused.

"Why would you summon the Dark One, knowing what it would do to you?" Zeeter asked, steering the conversation back to its original topic.

Paragor chuckled derisively. "I believed that if I could destroy the one enemy that defeated my father, then I would be able to gain his respect." He paused as he watched his younger self emerge from the top balcony. "I wonder now how things would have gone had I not been so foolish."

* * *

><p>"Introducing, the Crown Prince of Tenochtitlan, His Majesty, Prince Gallant!"<p>

The horns beside Gallant rattled his ears and made him cringe slightly as everyone turned to see the Crown Prince arrive from the landing. Everyone gave a round of polite applause, save for his father, who was giving him a look of disinterest. Gulping slightly, the prince hurriedly made his way down the stairs, eager to avoid the thousands of eyes that were staring at him.

It was no secret to everyone in Tenochtitlan that Gallant hated social gatherings. He didn't like being viewed as a centerpiece in a gathering, as well as his father spending more money on his parties than helping the impoverished people of his city. The robe he was wearing, a mostly indigo velvet robe with a silver vest and similar colored armor, had cost a small fortune to be made, even though he'd insisted on spending his money giving out the money to the poor people. If it were up to him, Gallant would have worn his work clothes to the event.

His father said that the robes were to show their esteem among the people. In a moment that would have surprised Igor, Gallant had agreed with his father in silence. He knew that if he had expressed his opinion, he would have been subject to even more humiliation.

As he made his way down the steps, he encountered his other reason for hating the galleries. Many of the nobility were hanging around his father, Paragal, drinking every word he said like water. They were all laughing snootily, probably at some joke he'd made. Sighing, Gallant made his way around the nobility and went to the refreshments table. He tentatively picked up a glass of wine, turning around to see the crowd of hangers-on roar in laughter.

It also wasn't a secret that he despised the nobility, especially the people who associated with his father. Their schemes, backstabbing, and constant boot-licking made him sick, and it made him loathe the day he became king. If he had to deal with those conniving thieves for the rest of his life, he would not be held responsible for their deaths...

"And finally, introducing the Duchess of the House of Caret, Lady Arioso!"

Gallant's eyes widened in surprise, before his beak curled into a smile, which he hid by quickly taking a sip of his wine. The House of Caret was a favored ally of his father's; after all, they had helped him secure his position as king, and were also known to supply gratuitous amounts of money to the military. In addition, the young Duchess Arioso was a close friend of Gallant's.

Naturally, though, that was the public version of the story.

Gallant couldn't help but stare as the young Raptor appeared with her entourage, which mostly consisted of her father, mother, and guards. While all of them were dressed nicely, it was Arioso who captured his eye. She wore a dress made out of gold and white silk, which was decorated with various sun patterns and glittered with diamonds. Her auburn hair was lined with gold and diamond beads, and it was done into an elaborate hairstyle that wound on top of her head. Her yellow green eyes swept around the room, seeming to search endlessly before finally settling on him. The smile on her face was warm and graceful.

"Hail, Duchess Arioso, the shining jewel of Tenochtitlan," he said, bowing as she approached.

She giggled. "Hail, Crown Prince Paragal the Second, the life of Erion," she replied, curtsying gracefully. "Do forgive our tardy arrival. Affairs of state must be dealt with first."

"Your tardiness is forgiven, my lady," Gallant replied. "We welcome you with open arms, for we have missed you greatly."

"Aye, we have." And suddenly, Paragal was there, his beak curled up into a smile. "Come, Arioso, we have much to speak about!"

"Indeed!" she replied, and she and her family quickly followed the king, not noticing Gallant's quiet glare at his father's retreating back.

* * *

><p>"Are you not enjoying the festivities, Gallant?"<p>

Gallant paused mid sip to turn towards the Duchess, who approached him with her own glass of wine. He'd moved away from the crowd to sit outside on the balcony, gazing up at the night sky. He failed to contain the blush on his cheeks, and turned to the sky.

"I do believe I mentioned in one of my letters that I detest these kinds of parties," he said. "I had to get out for a little while. I cannot stand being looked down upon."

"And I as well," Arioso said. "Your Majesty-"

"Aria, I have told you before that there is no need to be formal around me. You may address me by my nickname," Gallant replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Aria blushed coquettishly. "Oh, right, I forgot. Forgive me...Gallant," she replied.

"That is much better," he replied. Before she could answer, he pulled her closer and kissed her. After he parted, he sighed and said, "I have missed you greatly, my love."

"And I, you." She rested her head on his shoulder. "It has been a while since your shadow has darkened my balcony."

"Aye." His voice was sad. "For your protection, Aria, I swore not to arrive in the middle of the night. However, I will not deny that I have missed you more than anyone in the world."

"You flatter me!"Aria laughed.

"It is only the truth. You have consumed my thoughts always. To think that I, a lowly prince, would have the honor of courting the Duchess Aria..."

Aria laughed again. "Do save your clever tongue for later, Gallant. I would hate for your flattery to run flat."

Gallant chuckled. "Indeed."

There was a moment of comfortable silence, and then she said, "I do wish that we did not have to keep our relationship secret, Gallant."

"As do I. I regret even more so that I may not have my father's approval. Our fathers are allies, yet from what I have heard, there has been a dispute among them. I fear that announcing our courtship will only deepen the dispute," Gallant replied.

"Have you settled the dispute between you and your father?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I am no mind reader, but I can sense the disquiet between you two." Her face contorted downwards into a frown. "Has he...abused you since we last spoke?"

Gallant remained silent for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. "Yes. But not for the smaller things that you may imagine. I...I killed Captain Beldor."

Aria gasped, a hand flying to her mouth. "What? Why?"

He looked at her for a moment, and then pulled out his right hand. The bracelet he'd been wearing gleamed, and not because of the moonlight. "This is the reason why," he replied.

"I'm confused, Gallant. It is a simple necklace," she answered.

"No, no it isn't," he replied. "This, Aria, is Chikyuu, the legendary Chest of Magic."

Aria's eyes widened in what he assumed to be horror. "G-Gallant...how did you manage to get that?"

"I made a contract with it. I plan on using it to destroy the one enemy that my father was unable to defeat," he replied. "Beldor came after me, possibly to give my location away to my father, and he started to spout lies about my father. In my anger...I killed him."

"Does your father know of this?"

"If you ask if he knows of Beldor's murder, then yes. He knows nothing about Chikyuu. I plan on telling him tonight," Gallant replied.

"Gallant, if you do, your father may react harshly. I do not want you to be publicly humiliated again," Aria said.

Gallant cringed, remembering the last time he ended up causing a scene at a party. "Rest assured, my love, I will not cause an uproar here tonight." He stood up, and extended his hand towards her. She took his hand without question, but her eyes still showed her doubt.

"Gallant, I fear for your safety. What if your plan goes wrong?" she said.

Gallant curbed the pit of dread that was forming in his stomach and smiled. "Do not worry, my dear Aria. Once I talk to my father, everything will be alright," he said.

She sighed. "If you say so, Gallant," she replied. "Tread carefully, however."

He nodded, and led her back to the party.

* * *

><p>"Ah, that is wonderful news indeed," Paragal said. "And things are proceeding smoothly, you say?"<p>

"Aye. Negotiations to occupy this planet is going as planned, sir," the Duke replied. "It will not be long before you have it for yourself."

Paragal took a sip of wine. "Very well. I planned on exploring it to see if there were any primitive creatures that live there," he said. "My empire will soon expand to every corner in the galaxy. What does this planet look like?"

"It's bright orange, sir. It has white swirls covering the surface, and red spots in various parts of the planet."

"I see. I suppose the white swirls on the planet are meant to be clouds," Paragal noted. "Indeed, it is different from most planets that I have seen. I am highly interested in studying it further."

The Duke made to say more, but he stopped when he saw his daughter and the Crown Prince making their way over to them. His beak curled upwards into a smile.

"Ah! My dear Aria! I was beginning to wonder if you were getting bored with the festivities of the party, but it appears you are already occupied," the Duke said.

Aria blushed. "Oh, Father, you needn't say that!"

"I was keeping her company, sire, as no other gentleman seems to notice her presence," Gallant remarked.

"Aye, but she seems to favor your company over any other gentleman," the Duchess noted. "Why, if I did not know better, I would say that she is quite taken with you."

Gallant laughed. "You flatter me, Duchess."

"I am only saying what I see, young lad. You needn't be embarrassed."

"Indeed." Paragal, now looking quite bored, turned his attention towards his son. "I have the feeling, Gallant, that you did not come here to make small talk with the Duke."

Gallant swallowed. He should have known that his father would have seen through his charade, but it still caught him off guard. "There is something that I want to show you, Father."

"Oh, gods, not this again," Paragal muttered. "What is it now, Gallant?"

Gallant pulled out his right hand, which had Chikyuu's compact form resting on his wrist. His father took one look at the bracelet and then looked up at him, unimpressed.

"That's all?"

"No. And this is not just any ordinary bracelet, Father. This is Chikyuu, the legendary Chest of Magic," Gallant said.

When he said that, all conversation and music died a swift and sudden death. A chorus of gasps rose from the nobles and other party guests, including the Duke and Duchess themselves. Paragal's disinterested look disappeared in a flash.

"What...did you just say?" he started slowly.

"I...when I told you about what happened to Captain Beldor, Father, I lied somewhat. I told you that I killed him in the Castle of the Old Magic, and then left. But that is not what happened. You see..." Gallant swallowed, feeling everyone's eyes on him. "I went right into the room where the Chest was, and made a contract with it. I am now the Contractor of this powerful artifact."

"That's preposterous!" Paragal roared, making everyone close to him jump backwards in fear. "_You _of all Raptors could not even use the magic of the Ancients! What makes you think you use Chikyuu's powers?"_  
><em>

"I have destroyed a group of soldiers with his power, and I have spent weeks summoning the most powerful beings you can imagine," Gallant replied evenly, confidence in his voice. "It will not be long before I can summon the one thing you have not been able to defeat."

Paragal's eyes widened in horror. "You...you would not _dare_ summon him!"

"Of course I would not summon him!" Gallant cried. "However, I do wish to show you what I can do, now that I am well versed in Chikyuu's magic."

His father rose from the chair, movements stiff and glare cold as ice. Gallant's smile dropped off of his face, and he started to back away as his father made his way down from the throne.

"Father?" Gallant squeaked. "Is there something wrong? I have done nothing wrong to ignite your temper, I can assure-"

There was a flash of gold light, a loud, wet crunch, and a series of screams that erupted from the crowd. Gallant's neck was nearly bent at a near unnatural angle, even with the gold light that surrounded it. The Crown Prince struggled to twist his neck back into position, but that was when he was launched backwards into a table full of refreshments. Knives and various other utensils cut into his skin, and one of the carver's knives was quickly embedded in his stomach.

Every noble's eye was trained on the king, whose pupils were drawn into dagger-wound-like slits filled with hatred. Everyone stepped back the moment he began to laugh, a heaving sound that came from the base of his throat and grew louder with every passing second. Gallant managed to sit up, only to cough out a massive amount of blood and fall to the floor again.

"GALLANT!" Aria screamed, and ran over to her fallen lover. She scooped up the prince and cradled him, like a mother with her child. She then turned to Paragal, rage in her eyes. "Why?! Why did you do this?!"

The king's face was full of pure evil. "For two reasons: one, to have the blood that I need to obtain my full power, and two, to just get rid of that flea."

"W...what?" Gallant coughed. "A-A f-flea?"

"Yes, you ungrateful, unworthy fool. You are nothing more than that, a mistake that couldn't be undone years ago. You think you can take my crown? Ha! The deuce you will. You have no drive, no ambition. Everything you touch, Gallant, you destroy. I would not be surprised if this empire I had planned for the galaxy crumbled under your rule!" Paragal's smile was manic. "The only reason I didn't do anything to you sooner, Gallant, is that your mother had gotten involved, insisting that you were to be protected at all costs. But now that I've got her out of the picture, I am free to do whatever I like with you, including killing you."

Gallant's eyes widened in horror. _No...oh, gods, do not tell me that what Beldor said was true! _

"What power requires a firstborn's blood?!" The Duke was outraged.

"The Examia, of course," Paragal said. "I have shown you but a bit of what that power is truly capable of. True masters of the magic have vaporized people to death, brought people back to life, and of course, kept those closest to them under them, never to rise." He glared at Gallant. "It seems I may be using the very first one after I acquire his blood."

Aria shook her head vehemently. "I can't believe what I am hearing...Father was right; you _are _mad."

"I am not mad, dear Arioso," Paragal said, though his tone indicated otherwise. "I am only showing you the benefits of having drunk the Examia's power. Now, I am more powerful than Chikyuu himself! Nay, I am more powerful than the _Gods themselves! _And I am certainly more powerful than the power that founded Erion!"

"The Examia is also known as the power that _killed _one of the gods!" The Duchess said. _"Can't you see what you're doing?!"_

"Of course, I know what I am doing! I am ascending to godhood, my fellow noblemen. Soon, you will ALL bow before my dark majesty! Soon, you will _all bow down in terror before me!" _Paragal threw back his head and laughed maniacally, a sound that made everyone cringe in fear and horror.

Aria stared at Gallant, who lay on ground, blood forming a pool around his body. His blue eyes were lifeless as he looked up at the ceiling, seeming devoid of all feeling and emotion.

"Gallant...oh, for the love of peace, please be alive!" she cried.

"What...what do I have to live for, Aria?" Gallant moaned. "I...I was a fool...A naive, incompetent fool who believed in his own folly-"

"That's not true, Gallant!" Aria's eyes were feeling with tears. "D-Don't let your father's words discourage you! You are not a fool!"

"You cannot deny the truth, Arioso!" Paragal said. "He was foolish to believe every spoon-fed lie I gave him. He was foolish to believe that he, who is below my position, does not deserve my respect!"

"You...you don't deserve my respect either, _Your Majesty,_" Aria proclaimed. The last two words she ground out with venom in her voice.

Paragal's wild expression took on one of surprise. Not mock surprise like she'd seen before; this was real, genuine surprise. "Oh?"

"You have lied to the people of Tenochtitlan. You have killed innocent people in order to make people your obedient slaves. You have used everyone's loyalty and respect for you for your own uses!" she countered, her voice rising with anger. "What makes you think that you deserve _my respect?!"_

"You foolish wench," Paragal growled out. "Do you know what happens to those who refuse to bow to me? I **DESTROY THEM!**"

Gold light burst from his hand and formed into a golden sigil about the length of two men. Everyone in the castle screamed and ran for their lives, but the lady Duchess stood firm. Her emerald green eyes blazed with anger.

"You can impale me. You can shoot me. And you can decapitate me," she declared. "But know that it will be the biggest mistake you will ever make."

"It appears that you never know when to hold your tongue. Well, I shall silence it right now, wench." With an insane grin, he hurled the long sigil with impressive strength. Aria braced herself, but it was then that she noticed the trajectory of the spear.

_He wasn't aiming at her._

Her body reacted faster than her mind could comprehend. In a split second, she had gone from standing in the supposed path of the sigil, to having the lance strike her through the gut, the tip barely brushing Gallant's head. Blood coated the spear and dripped onto the Crown Prince's face, whose eyes had suddenly filled with light. His eyes were wide with horror as he watched his lover take the blow that was meant for him.

"A-Aria?!" he choked out, struggling to rise to his feet.

She collapsed to her knees when he said her name, her body shaking slightly. Her head shuddered slightly as she looked over at the Crown Prince. Her emerald eyes leaked tears, but there was a small, sad smile on her face.

"A-As I said before, Gallant...you are not a fool...you did what any child would have done..."

"Aria, do not speak of such nonsense!" Gallant said. "I will not leave you to die!"

"It is...too late for me, Gallant," Aria continued, her voice becoming a faint whisper. "I am not much longer for this world..."

"Fie upon that. Fie upon it all!" Gallant cried, tears rolling down his face. "My father has already taken away my mother and brother! I will not allow him to take you away!"

"Do not fear...and do not grieve...I shall always be with you, in your heart...alway-"

Her voice trailed off into nothingness, and she fell forward, the light gone from her eyes. A dull thud sounded as she hit the floor.

"Aria?! Aria, please answer me! Do not...I-I beg you, do not LEAVE ME HERE!" Gallant screamed.

The distraught prince attempted to reach her, but soon, a cocoon of gold light began to cover her body, the light blinding him and filling his vision with spots. When it cleared, he found himself staring at the small pool of blood that marked his beloved's last position. She was gone.

Gallant watched, utterly frozen in time, as his father turned towards him. His expression was manic and dangerous. "I will tell you about one nice thing, Gallant. Ever since you were born, I have always hated you. Nothing you did, not even acquiring the magic of the Legendary Chikyuu, has been able to impress me. You are, and will always be, a mistake." He grinned evilly. "And now, it's time I corrected it."

Gallant watched in horror as his father summoned a massive sphere of lightning, the size causing the ceiling to collapse. Everyone screamed and ran for their lives, utterly terrified of what was happening.

_"Feel the wrath of the gods! Divine Punishment!" _Paragal laughed maniacally as he flung his hand downwards in a wild motion.

The sphere of lightning that crashed down on the prince could have split the heavens.

* * *

><p>Bula stared at the scene before him, the silence around him deafening. Out of all the things they'd learned about Paragor, this had to be the most shocking. It was not the revelation that Paragor, in his youth, had been flawed and naive enough to believe his father's lies. And it was not that Chikyuu was the founder of Erion. That all paled in comparison to this.<p>

His father was a total nutjob, and not only openly hated his son, he also killed the love of his son's life, and was planning to become one of the gods with some crazy power Bula couldn't begin to understand.

The captain of the Zula Patrol looked around. No one else said a word to each other. Zeeter's eyes looked ready to pop out of their sockets, and Wizzy and Wigg looked like they'd been struck dumb with horror. Gorga stared at the scene with tears rolling down his cheeks. Bonnie's jaw was set, but the color had drained from her face.

The one who struck him the most, however, was Paragor. The Raptor was on his knees, much like his younger self had done earlier. His body was shaking ever so slightly, and sobs escaped his throat. Tears dripped from his eyes.

Bula looked up at the scene around them. The entire castle was up in flames, the very foundation crumbling under the weight of the debris. Dead nobles were scattered all over the place. Only Paragal was still standing, covered by a gold dome like barrier. When he saw his son sitting at the very edge of the castle, the laugh that escaped his throat sent chills up Bula's spine. With the most manic expression possible, he shot off like a rocket, his insane laughter echoing throughout the castle.

Bula hadn't realized Zeeter had come over to him until he saw her face, which was practically drenched with tears. He wrapped an arm around her protectively, his own expression threatening to break.

Paragor stood up, and wiped his tears away. His voice was quiet as he spoke. "My father's conversion to the Mad King," he started, "was probably the fiercest blow all of Tenochtitlan had to face. This hero, whom everyone had come to love, became corrupted and went insane by using a power that has killed many. His own pride led to his downfall."

"Paragor...you talked a lot about the power of Chikyuu. What is the Examia?" Bonnie asked.

"The Examia is a power that is even more ancient than Chikyuu itself. The gods, according to legends, were said to have this power, but they all fell to its curse, which was for them to go out of control with its power. Many people sacrificed their children in an attempt to appease them, but it was no use. It was not long until chaos reigned in Erion. But then, the very power that founded Erion, known in the old language as the 'Power of Creation' in the old tongue, destroyed the Examia and destroyed the false gods. However, many still attempted to harness that power."

"And one of those people was your father."

"Correct. I often find myself wondering what would have happened if I had discovered my father's nature sooner." Paragor sighed. "It was after this that I found myself in charge of the throne. I found myself trying to appease those that attempted to kill my father before. Granted, I didn't care about what they had to say, but I realized that what happened could endanger all of Tenochtitlan.

"Paragal's conversion to the Mad King was the tipping point for me. What happened next is the reason why my name has changed to Paragor."

The Zula Patrol said nothing, mentally preparing themselves as the scene once again shifted...

* * *

><p><strong>The reason I'm cutting this short is because it's way too long for one chapter. I might as well be making this over thirty thousand words, and I would probably bore you.<strong>

**But in the past, Paragor was pretty naive. He thought he could get through to his crazy dad, even when everyone told him not to. It is that same stubborn stupidity that got him to where he is now, and why he looks upon love as disdain. Next chapter will go into the battle with father and son, and how Paragor became a Dreamscaper. **

**-God bless, iheartgod175**

**To be concluded**

**In "Collision Course"...**


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